


Pheromones

by Pikachunicorn



Category: Dark Wolverine (Comics), Wolverine and the X-Men (Comics), X-Men (Comicverse)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Daken has both arms both eyes a healing factor and a personality, Evan has a crush, I'M SETTING MYSELF THE PERSONAL CHALLENGE TO AT LEAST MENTION ALL OF MY FAVOURITE CHARACTERS IN THIS, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, No Strings Attached, Non-Graphic Violence, Quentin becomes a teaching assistant again, Quentin gets drunk a lot, Quentin is an idiot, Quentin telepathically imprints on everyone because he can't get a hold on his emotions, Underage Drinking, Violence, X-23/Daken/Elixir dream team, as if Wolvie comes back (we know he will), everyone gets over Evan's little 'Apoca-trip' during AXIS, healing factor bros, oh and he's not blue, set like a year from current continuity
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-13
Updated: 2015-10-20
Packaged: 2018-02-21 02:33:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 18,495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2451440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pikachunicorn/pseuds/Pikachunicorn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daken doesn't care about girls. Daken doesn't care about boys. Daken doesn't care about his father. Daken doesn't care about the nerdy, little school his father pays so much attention to. Daken doesn't care about love. And Daken Akihiro definitely does not care about the irritating, pink haired telepath who seems to keep waking up in his bed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally supposed to be a one shot and I was just gonna get back to my whole Quentin x Evan thing, but NO! This ship just /has/ to be all too addictive. Ugh. So yeah, I have a basic idea for this, but nothing solid, so who knows where it'll end up! xD

Quentin was intrigued by the man at the bar. The quiet one with the long, harsh, black mohawk and the sharp, white dress shirt that clashed so perfectly.

The pink-haired mutant had come to the club for one reason and so far, he wasn't succeeding in finding it. He'd been using his telepathy all night in an attempt to find someone who wanted what he wanted - no emotions, no romance, just _fun_. And sure, there were people who wanted that, but they seemed to want it for deeper reasons. To get over an ex. To boost their self-confidence. The pathetic reasoning made Quentin sick. Especially seen as the few without those thoughts were either remarkably unattractive or - he shuddered at the thought - _human_.

But the man at the bar was different, and not just in appearance. This man couldn't be read. No matter what Quentin tried, he couldn't seem to be able to break into the other man's mind.

"Nice tattoos." Quentin donned his signature smirk as he sat beside the other man, nodding his head at the snaking, Celtic patterns that were exposed where the top few buttons of the man's shirt remained undone.

"Yeah, thanks. Go away, kid." The other man replied bluntly, rolling his eyes.

" _Kid_?" Quentin pulled back, insulted. "I'm eighteen."

"Adorable." The man mumbled sarcastically, still focusing on the empty whiskey glass as he turned it in his hand.

"I'm not a kid." Quentin growled.

"Sure. I mean," the older guy turned to him now. "The hipster glasses and tacky, pink Mohawk just _scream_ maturity."

"Tacky?" Quentin raised his eyebrows.

"Mmhmm." The man hummed, turning his attention back to the glass.

"That's rich coming from the guy with the whole _'formal emo'_ thing going on." Quentin smirked, subtly raising his left hand to his temple and attempting again to search the man's mind.

"I'm not _'emo'_. And stop trying to get into my head, it won't work."

"What?" Quentin pulled back, surprised by the statement.

"I know who you are, Quire. And I know what you're trying to do." The man's lips adopted a small smirk. "You're hardly the most modest about your abilities."

"What reason do I have to be modest?" Quentin shrugged. "And anyway, now it's unfair. You know exactly who I am, but I have no idea who you are and why my telepathy doesn't work on you." He leant in a little. "Wanna enlighten me?"

"My name is Daken. That's all you need to know." Was the blunt reply.

"Well, aren't you just a big ball of fun." Quentin rolled his eyes. He felt he recognized the name, but couldn't quite figure out where from.

"Oh, I can be plenty of fun." Daken allowed his eyes to connect with Quentin's for a moment.

"Yeah? Prove it." Quentin dared. Daken stood with lightning speed, pinning the teen to the bar in a second.

"I have no interest in little boys, Quire. Call me when you hit puberty." Daken snarled, his face just inches from Quentin's.

"Call me when you gain a personality." Quentin teased with a smirk, provoking a small growl from Daken.

"Wow. You really are as annoying as they say, aren't you?" Daken narrowed his eyes.

"At least I'm worth talking about." Quentin laughed a little, relaxing back against the bar.

"You really think you're better than me, don't you?" Daken pushed a little closer.

"I do. Because I am." Quentin shrugged, enjoying the effect he had on the other man.

"No. You're not." Daken growled, lifting his hand to Quentin's cheek in an ironically gentle manner. Slowly, he unsheathed the claw from his wrist, the point putting slight pressure on Quentin's neck. "Trust me."

"Oh! I know you!" Quentin laughed past the pressure on his throat. "Baby Wolverine. How cute!" He felt the sharpness on his skin become more prominent. "Hit a nerve, did I? Does somebody have daddy issues?"

"That bastard is no father to me!" Daken snapped, attracting the attention of the groups of people around the pair.

"Causing a scene?" Quentin raised an eyebrow, causing Daken to retract his claw and step back. "Awww. Have I annoyed little Wolvie?"

Daken leant in, trailing his lips up Quentin's neck. Taking Quentin's wrists, he pinned them back against the bar. "Don't think I won't kill you, Quire." He purred, sending a strange shiver through Quentin's body. "Don't push me."

Quentin was sure Daken could see everything the contact was doing to him. His pulse was racing and his chest was rising and falling heavily. There was something about the danger that accompanied Daken's words that left Quentin wanting him.

"You're pathetic." Daken smirked a little, stepping back. "So easily affected. You should work on that."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Quentin's voice faltered slightly, betraying him.

"Oh, please!" Daken pushed a hand through his hair, biting his lip as he watched the other boy. "I can smell it on you. You want me so bad."

"You're wrong." Quentin stated, although his body was still frozen completely.

"How cute." Daken laughed. "Quentin Quire has a crush."

"What? No! No, I- I mean... I- I don't- Shut up!" Quentin blushed, looking away, not enjoying the fact someone was getting to _him_ and not the other way around.

"I don't think it's possible for you to be any more obvious right now!" Daken rolled his eyes, but an amused smirk played on his lips.

"I don't have a crush on you. I'm not some twelve year old girl!" Quentin countered, regaining his composure.

"But you find me attractive." Daken stated, leaning in closer, his eyes locked with Quentin's, toying with him. He lowered his voice. "I can sense it. Everything your body is doing right now is telling me what it is that you _really_ want... It's me."

"No." Quentin's voice was small and weak.

"So, if I did this..." Daken stepped closer again and allowed his lips to graze Quentin's. Just touching. Not enough to allow a kiss. His smirk grew when he felt the other boy lean into the contact, and chose to pull back a little. "That did nothing for you? Made you crave nothing? Gave you no crazy, and strangely hot, thoughts?"

Quentin swallowed hard, blinking up at Daken. "Nope."

"Quentin," Daken growled, grabbing the teen's hips and pulling their bodies together. "Do you want me?"

"No." Quentin's whisper was barely audible over the sounds of the club.

"Y'know, I've been thinking..." Daken sighed, his voice casual and calm. "What better way to piss off my father than to screw one of his students, right?"

"Ummm..." Quentin studied the floor intently, blushing. He'd never felt vulnerable like this before. Small, inexperienced, weak.

"Are you gonna kiss me or what?" Daken's words sent a shock of pleasure through Quentin's body. Quentin found that he didn't need to be told twice and, in under a second, had his body pressed tight against Daken's, his arms around his neck and their lips joined. He moaned softly when Daken pulled him closer.

"Am I gonna regret this?" Quentin asked quietly when they parted, showing his vulnerability for a moment.

"Probably." Daken shrugged, a strangely sadistic grin on his lips. "To be honest, I don't care."


	2. Chapter 2

Quentin blinked his eyes open as the sunlight forced its way through the curtains. There was a painful aching shocking its way through his head and his mind was worryingly blank. Closing his eyes again, he sighed, wondering what had happened last night, until it suddenly hit him - the ceiling he had just been looking up at wasn't his ceiling, and the room he had awoken in wasn't his room. His eyes snapped open suddenly and he flicked his head around for immediate clues to where he was. He was quickly awarded the sight of a beautiful, sleeping man beside him, and everything began to fall into place. _Daken_.

Quentin couldn't help the small smile that took his lips as he watched the other mutant sleep. The pain in his head was dulled as he looked over Daken's bare skin. He blushed when a few choice memories sprung to the forefront of his mind. Slowly, he traced his fingers down Daken's left arm, following the twists and turns of the solid, black tattoos.

In that second, Quentin was aware of nothing but a slightly less clean sound to the usual _'snikt'_ sound that all Jean Grey School students were so familiar with, and then the weight on his body.

His eyes were screwed closed, and he risked drawing one open first, then the other. Daken was on top of him, breathing heavily and emitting a low growl from his throat. The claws from his left hand were out, the points just inches from Quentin's face.

"Ummm..." Quentin forced an awkward laugh. "Good morning?"

Daken's expression softened and he sighed heavily, retracting his claws.

"Jesus, Quentin." He breathed, closing his eyes to steady his breathing.

"Sorry." Quentin blushed.

"What are you still doing here?" Daken questioned, dropping back onto the bed beside Quentin. There was no harshness in his tone, as if he was asking out of curiosity... Or _disbelief_.

"I just woke up. What- Urr..." Quentin's blush intensified. "What happened last night?"

Daken smirked a little at the question. "You don't remember?"

"I guess I may have drunk a little too much." Quentin pulled the duvet up his chest slightly in an attempt to hide his body, which was far less impressive than that of the mutant beside him.

"Yeah, a little." Daken chuckled quietly at the memory. "I offered to buy your drinks all night if you came home with me."

"Oh god." Quentin moaned, turning and pushing his face into the pillow. "I'm a prostitute!"

"Oh, stop exaggerating, Quire." Daken smirked more, mindlessly stroking his fingers through Quentin's hair. "You would've done it anyway."

Quentin ignored Daken's statement, knowing there was no point in attempting to deny it. "So, you got me drunk and took advantage of me? The poor, helpless, little telepath?" He gasped, attempting mock innocence.

"Helpless?" Daken raised his eyebrows. "Are you kidding me? Have you not seen this room?"

Quentin frowned, pushing up to sit against the headboard. It was only now that he noted they were in a hotel room, and a very beaten up hotel room, at that. Pretty much all of the heavier objects in the room had been tipped over and the smaller ones, tossed carelessly over every surface.

"Oh... Wow." Quentin's eyes widened as he took in the environment. "We did this?"

" _You_ did." Daken corrected, dropping his head back to the pillow and closing his eyes. "Your telekinesis is a pain in the ass when you're drunk."

"Woah..." Quentin blinked at the room in disbelief. "I've never done anything like _this_ when I've been that drunk in the past."

"Guess I just bring out the best in you." Daken smirked to himself.

"I guess you do." Quentin mirrored Daken's smirk. "Anyway, I gotta get back to school."

"You're kidding, right?" Daken opened his eyes and shot Quentin an unamused expression. "School?"

"No?" Quentin didn't really know how to reply.

"I thought you were _'the king of all bad boys who doesn't need some short ass, Canadian wannabe-superhero telling him what to do'_?" Daken teased, his smirk quickly returning.

"Oh god. I didn't actually say that, did I?" Quentin buried his face in his hands.

"I'm paraphrasing, but essentially, yes." Daken chuckled to himself at the memory. "You said a lot. Note for the future - you're actually a lot sexier when you're not talking."

"Did I say anything bad? Like, that I'd _really_ regret?" Quentin fell back down into the bed.

"You told me you had a sex dream about Cyclops once." Daken's words caused Quentin to cringe a little more.

"Okay, you can't tell anyone about that!" Quentin warned. He knew if it got out that he was dreaming of Scott Summers, he'd never live it down.

"No?" Daken raised his eyebrows in a teasing manner. "Can I tell them about your 'to do' list?"

"Oh no..." Quentin screwed his eyes shut, groaning. "I didn't tell you about that, did I?"

"Time displaced Jean Grey, Genesis, my sister, Angel, Rachel Summers, Hellion-"

"Okay! Okay!" Quentin cut Daken off quickly. "Please... Just... Try to forget about that, yeah?"

"Really?" Daken teased with a pout. "But I find that list quite amusing! Do you seriously think you're gonna get with everyone on that list?"

"I'm gonna try!" Quentin announced proudly. "You were on there until last night."

"You didn't even know me until last night!" Daken laughed quietly.

"No, but I heard Logan had an extremely attractive, bisexual son. And I couldn't resist that idea." Quentin couldn't help feeling strangely suspicious. Daken was being so... _Nice_? It was weird. But still, he chose not to show it.

"Did I match up to your expectations?" Daken's expression told Quentin he already knew the answer to that question.

"You exceeded my expectations..." Quentin flirted, before his features adopted a subtle frown. "At least... I think so... I can't really remember a lot of it."

"How charming." Daken yawned, his sarcasm clear.

"What about me?" Quentin pushed. "Was I how you'd expected?"

"You're somehow even chattier in person." Daken teased, allowing his eyes to fall closed again.

"You loved it." Quentin smirked.

"You're lucky you can't remember what you said. I - unfortunately - don't have that luxury. I have all of your irritating pickup lines engraved in my mind for life." Daken mirrored Quentin's smile.

"Maybe I should give you something to take your mind off it." Quentin whispered, before kissing and sucking on Daken's neck. He pulled back a little, amused by the way the hickeys disappeared mere moments after formation on Daken's skin.

"Maybe you should." Daken's voice was low and seductive and sent shivers down Quentin's spine, but still, he pulled back.

"Too bad. I've gotta get back to school." He stood from the bed quickly, an amused smirk on his lips as he noted Daken's frustrated expression. Leaning down, he kissed Daken's cheek and ruffled his hair in a patronizing manner. "Aww. Am I teasing my perfect, little animal?"

"I'm nobody's animal." Daken growled as Quentin pulled back again.

"Y'know," Quentin's smirk grew as he pulled on his boxers and shrugged on one of Daken's shirt's he'd retrieved from the tipped over closet. "I don't remember much from last night, but from what I do remember, I think I tamed you pretty well."

"Yeah?" Daken knelt up in the bed, taking hold of the shirt that hung open around Quentin's slim, toned body. "Well, I think I need taming again."

"I think you need to calm down and figure out how you're gonna pay for this room." Quentin kissed Daken once before pulling away and walking over to where his skinny jeans had been discarded across the room.

"I'm not." Daken shrugged, dropping back into the bed. "You are."

"It's your hotel room." Quentin countered, tugging on his jeans.

"Your telekinesis destroyed it."

"Your kisses and passion destroyed my telekinesis."

"Your cocky attitude made me kiss you."

"You payed me to sleep with you."

"You wanted it."

"So did you."

"No. I just wanted a cheap one night stand. Instead, I found the cotton candy king, with his cocky attitude and devilishly destructive telekinesis."

"Cotton candy king?" Quentin raised his eyebrows.

"It's the hair." Daken shrugged. "Can't you just stick around a little longer? Just for me?"

"No, you're a big boy, Daken. I'm sure you can learn to share your toys." Quentin teased, sitting on the bed beside Daken.

"Not my new favourite toy. I don't wanna share him with anyone." Daken purred, sitting up and kissing Quentin's neck. Slowly, he took his lips lower, pushing the shirt from Quentin's shoulder when he reached it. He groaned a little when he found Quentin's Omega Gang tattoo.

"It's great to know I'm your favourite. Like seriously, so honored!" Quentin laughed. "But I need to get back."

"Oh, come on! Since when has Quentin Quire played by the rules?" Daken pouted in irritation when Quentin pulled the shirt back up over his shoulder.

"Since last night, apparently. I remember you being _very_ commanding, and I remember me being _very_ obedient." Quentin blushed a little at the broken, fuzzy memories.

"Fine." Daken grabbed both sides of Quentin's shirt and pulled him closer roughly. "Here's a new command – _stay_."

Quentin considered this for a moment before shrugging and climbing back into the bed. "Meh. Why not?"

"Good boy." Daken whispered between kisses, and bit Quentin's lower lip a little too hard, causing the other boy to whimper slightly. "You're adorable!"

"Shut up." Quentin ordered, straddling Daken and deepening the kiss.

"You don't get to tell me what to do." Daken growled.

"I do… Unless you want me to leave and run back to daddy's school for misfit toys?" Quentin's reply earned his a low growl from his lover. "Exactly. So, shut up and kiss me."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this is a horribly written chapter but oh god whatever.

"Quire!" Quentin rolled his eyes as he heard Logan's harsh tone yell his name as soon as he stepped through the gates at quarter past three in the afternoon.

"Shouldn't you be teaching?" He smirked, walking past the headmaster without so much as glancing at him.

"Shouldn't you?" Logan countered, following him towards the school.

"No." Quentin shrugged. "I'm a teaching assistant. All I ever do is stand around waiting for class to end."

"That ain't what I'm paying you for!" Logan stepped in front of him, blocking his path.

"Then, find me a class that needs more assisting." Quentin pouted up at him smugly, realigning his glasses.

"Where've you been all day, kid?" Logan demanded, refusing to allow Quentin to pass.

"Around." The telepath replied simply.

"I ain't stupid, Quire." Logan growled. _Wow, Daken's so much like his daddy._ Quentin smirked to himself.

"You keep telling yourself that." He pushed past Logan, heading for his room. He desperately needed a change of clothes - the holes left from when Daken's claws tore through his boxers this morning making them awkward and uncomfortable to wear.

"Hold up, kid." Logan caught hold of Quentin's jacket and pulled him back. He took a quick sniff for confirmation. "Y'gotta be kiddin' me!"

"What?" Quentin replied, his tone laced with irritation already.

"Daken?" Logan asked simply, not needing to - and not able to - expand on that.

"Who?" Quentin feigned innocence with a sarcastic smile.

"Y'know exactly who, Quire!" Logan snarled, stepping closer, causing Quentin to roll his eyes.

"No idea." He shrugged. "Sorry."

"You reek of alcohol, sex and... _Him_."

"Who?"

"Quire!" Logan's voice took a warning tone. "Don't lie to me. I know you were with him."

"Why do you care?" Quentin snapped suddenly. "I'm eighteen now. I can handle myself!"

"Because he's bad news, kid! You're my responsibility and I can't-"

"Your responsibility?!" Quentin stepped back, laughing in disbelief. "You're kidding, right?"

"You're not even old enough to drink!" Logan argued.

"But I'm old enough for other things." Quentin countered, a strange undertone in his words.

"Did you sleep with him or not, Quire?" Logan demanded, his body growing tense.

"Leave me the hell alone." Quentin replied quickly, before storming off into the school.

"Quire! Get back here or I swear I'll fire your ass." Quentin flicked his middle finger up over his head as Logan shouted after him, continuing into the hallway, soon out of sight.

"Asshole." Quentin murmured, entering his room and slamming the door behind him. At that moment, his phone rang in his pocket, frowning at the unfamiliar number sprawled across the screen, he accepted the call.

"What?" He answered bluntly.

"Hey, pinkie pie." Quentin smirked at the voice that came from the phone. "Who got your panties in a twist?"

"Hey." He sighed happily and dropped onto his bed, ignoring the question. "Since when did you have my number?"

"Since you were drunk and I decided I wanted a way to keep in contact with you." Daken replied quickly.

"That's a little stalker-y, Daken." Quentin laughed, relaxing back on the bed.

"You're worth stalking." Quentin could almost hear the teasing smirk in Daken's voice. "So, how's demon headmaster?"

Quentin frowned at the appropriateness of the question. "Pretty pissed, otherwise fine. Why?"

Daken laughed. "No reason."

Quentin paused for a moment, considering this. "You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

"What? I don't know what you're talking about?" Daken didn't even try to hide his own lie.

"You can mask your scent, right? But you didn't bother because you wanted to annoy him?" Quentin forced a sigh of exasperation at Daken's immaturity. He was actually pretty impressed though (and kind of disappointed he hadn't thought of that himself).

"Did it work?" Daken laughed.

"Perfectly." Quentin smirked proudly, enjoying the sound of Daken's satisfied laughter.

"Alright, see you later, gay boy." Daken teased.

"Whatever, gothica." Quentin shut off the call abruptly, quickly saving the number with a suitably mysterious contact name.

Sensing the telepathic signature outside his room, he spoke up before the visitor had the chance to knock.

"What, Evan?" He called, sitting up on the bed and combing his fingers through his hair.

"Can I come in?" Came the quiet response, muffled more by the door.

Tossing his phone aside, Quentin sighed and flicked the door open telekinetically. "Yeah, whatever."

"Who were you talking to?" Evan tilted his head in curiosity.

"Just someone I met in a bar." Quentin murmured, dropping back onto the bed.

"Oh..." Evan blushed slightly, wandering over and sitting beside Quentin.

"Wait. What are you- Did I say you could sit on my bed, freak show?" Quentin raised his eyebrows at Evan, causing the latter to shuffle away a little, but still not stand.

"Quentin..." Evan looked down at his fingers, which he knotted tightly in his lap. "Where were you today?"

"Out." Quentin responded bluntly.

"With a girl?" The question seemed suspiciously sad from Evan's lips.

"No." Quentin frowned, still trying to decipher Evan without the use of telepathy.

"Oh... A boy?" Evan raised his eyebrows, as if he himself couldn't believe he was asking the question.

"Yes, actually." Quentin sighed, rolling his eyes.

"You're..?" Evan stared at him, eyes wide.

"Gay?" Quentin finished. "No. I'm not. Women are pretty too." He replied sarcastically.

"Does that make you 'bisexual'? I was talking to Julian, and he said there were a couple of boys who used to go here who he thinks were bisexual." Evan explained matter-of-factly. "He says it means they're attracted to both genders."

"No, Evan. I don't classify myself as bisexual. I think labelling sexuality is a petty and, quite frankly, homo sapien thing to do. I'm attracted to who I'm attracted to. Done." Quentin flicked his head to toss the pink hair from his eyes.

"But you like boys?" Evan tilted his head, his curiosity clear.

"Yes, Ev. I like boys. Do you want me to make a t-shirt with it on? Because I will, sweetheart." Quentin replied sarcastically, again, rolling his eyes.

"I'm just surprised." Evan replied shyly.

"Whatever. Why are you here?"

"Is that _his_ shirt?" Evan almost growled the third word, ignoring the question and causing Quentin to frown deeply.

"Umm... Yeah, I damaged my own." Quentin rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

"How? Did it happen when you were having sex with him?" Evan questioned bluntly, a harsh undertone to his voice.

"Evan!" Quentin exclaimed, laughing. "C'mon. Why would you ask that? I mean, I'll tell you all about my sex life if you really want, but you're not really the kinda person I would talk to about-"

"You're not denying it." Evan stated, narrowing his eyes a little.

"Geez, Ev." Quentin laughed, blushing a little. "Sure, if you must know, yeah, I had sex last night."

"You stink of alcohol. Were you drunk?" Evan quizzed, pushing closer to Quentin. "Did he take advantage of you?"

"Relax, mom! I was fine. No, he didn't _'take advantage of me'_!" Quentin shoved Evan playfully. "Just calm down, freak show. What's up with you?"

"Nothing! I'm fine. Shut up!" Evan snapped.

"Okay." Quentin frowned, drawing out the vowel.

"Is that who you were talking to on your phone?" Evan asked, calmer now.

"Yeah, why?" Quentin pouted a little in confusion.

"Just curious." Evan shrugged. "Who is he?"

"A guy I met in a bar, like I said." Quentin replied vaguely.

"Do I know him?" Evan questioned quickly.

"No." Quentin replied, possibly too suddenly, giving away his lie.

"Quentin, can't you just be honest with me for once?" Evan sighed, looking down with a disappointed expression.

"I am. You don't know him." Quentin blushed the slightest amount.

"You can be very disappointing sometimes, Quentin." Evan stood, shaking his head slightly.

"I don't get what the big deal is? It's just some guy I spent the night with..." Quentin spoke quietly, suddenly feeling unnaturally awkward, looking up at Evan.

"You're so oblivious sometimes!" Evan snapped, turning away.

"Oblivious? What?" Quentin frowned deeply, standing and taking Evan's shoulders. "What's going on with you?"

"It doesn't matter. You don't get it." Evan replied bluntly, shrugging Quentin's hands from his shoulders. "I've got homework to do."

"Wait! Evan!" Quentin called after the other boy as Evan rushed from the room. "Ugh." He collapsed back onto his bed and rolled his eyes. Retrieving his phone he typed out a quick message.

 

To: D  
Message: _You've been screwing guys for longer than I have - why are they so confusing?_

 

It was less than two minutes before Quentin's phone was buzzing with a response.

 

From: D  
Message: _Yes, Quire. I slept with a guy before last night.  
And men aren't confusing. It's simple - sex = good, feelings = bad. As a guy who is also attracted to guys, how do you not know that?!_

 

Quentin sighed in irritation at the way Daken mocked him for his inexperience, before typing out a reply.

 

To: D  
Message: _Hilarious. -.-  
Also, just a note - I think my best friend has a crush on me._

 

From: D  
Message: _Tell him to back off._

 

To: D  
Message: _Jealous?_

 

From: D  
Message: _Nope. Just need all your attention on me right now. Can't have you getting a boyfriend to distract you. Is he hot?_

To: D  
Message: _SO jealous.  
Hot? No way. Cute? Yes. Seriously cute._

 

From: D  
Message: _Not. Ever. Jealous. You're just another guy, you just happen to be good enough that I wanna keep you for a while.  
Seriously cute? Yup. I stand by my original point - he better back off. _

 

To: D  
Message: _So. Damn. Jealous._

 

From: D  
Message: _You wish.  
Laters, powder puff._

 

To: D  
Message: _Laters, Sweetie Belle._

 

Quentin smirked, lying back on his bed, more than satisfied with Daken's reaction, when his phone vibrated one final time.

 

From: D  
Message: _Remember - mine._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I made fun references in this. Hehe.  
> Firstly, when Evan said 'I was talking to Julian, and he said there were a couple of boys who used to go here who he thinks were bisexual' totally, obviously not referencing my OTP. *cough* Wither *cough* Elixir *cough*  
> And also, if you're wondering why Q called Daken 'Sweetie Belle', it's a play on the fact Julian called him My Little Brony once (Sweetie Belle is one of the MLP main characters' little sisters).


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, look! The plot is finally gonna develop past some dodgy affair. Yay.

Quentin was drunk. But, he noted in his mind when he evaluated his situation, he was drunk with a purpose. Daken obviously saw him as a petty, inexperienced child; at least, that's what Quentin's paranoid, fanboyish mind thought. And Quentin was far from happy with that assumption. So, he came to the conclusion that to show just how mature he was, he'd go out to the roughest area in Salem Centre and keep drinking and flirting until the early hours. Of course, he was blind to how flawed this logic was, and how immature the whole situation made him seem.

He was in the kind of mutant bar that had telepathic inhibitors hidden in the walls, which was the kind of bar he really should've been avoiding; which, in turn, made it the exact type of bar he was looking for. Admittedly, this meant he had to bring out the fake ID for the first time in forever, and he was unable to scan the minds of the women and men he was chatting up to find out if they were total psychopaths, but it seemed worth it. He was in the bad side of town now, that was clear and it was also perfectly compelling.

Leaning on the bar casually (on the third attempt - the first two resulting in him completely miss placing his hand and putting all his weight on thin air, falling forward clumsily) he ordered another glass of the perfect toxin he'd been ingesting for the past three hours, when a tall, slim man - most likely in his late teens, or possibly early twenties - wearing an excessive amount of leather stepped up to him. His green eyes were framed with heavy, black liner and slightly covered by his dark hair, the shocking blue highlights in his fringe bringing out the colour in his irises.

"Quire, right?" He grinned down at Quentin, the lights in the bar glinting off a thin ring of silver that was pushed through his lower lip.

"Who's asking?" Quentin replied with a wonky smirk.

"Anyone you want." The man took the form of Daken for a moment, demonstrating his shapeshifter abilities, before reverting back to his previous appearance.

Quentin frowned deeply, assuming the alcohol must be screwing with his head more than he expected, because it made no sense that this random guy knew about he and Daken's... _Thing_.

"Relax, cutie." The shapeshifter laughed. "You could call Daken Akihiro our... Mutual contact."

"Daken what now?" Quentin raised an eyebrow, having never heard anyone call Daken anything more than just _'Daken'_.

"I've been in contact with him a lot recently. We're work colleagues, of sorts. He told me all about you." The shapeshifter purred, leaning into Quentin a little.

"He did?" Quentin smirked smugly.

"Of course. You're definitely worth talking about." The other mutant grinned, trailing two fingers down Quentin's forearm.

"Well, yeah, I know that." Quentin chuckled. "You're cute, by the way! I mean... _This_ you... If _this_ is the _real_ you." He wrinkled his nose and pouted a little at how the alcohol caused him to ramble.

"The _real_ me is whatever your crazy, telepath mind can come up with..." The shapeshifter bit his lip, his eyes locked on Quentin's.

"I like this you." Quentin replied in a perfectly dorky manner when the other boy's eyes flicked down to Quentin's own lips.

"Fine with me." The shapeshifter leant in a little more and Quentin noted that he would be more than happy to spend a night with this guy.

"Hey, you wanna get your hand off him?" The familiar voice sent a shiver of pleasure through Quentin's body and his eyes darted up to search the space for the source. His breath caught as his eyes trailed over Daken's body, dressed in tight, black suit pants and a white dress shirt. Even the sight of the beautiful mutant sent excitement coursing through Quentin's veins.

"Why?" The shapeshifter smirked and stepped closer to Quentin, throwing his arm over the telepath's shoulders. "We're just talking."

"Well, you're not anymore." Daken stated strongly. "Your conversation ends here. _Leave_."

"You really think I'm gonna do what you say? Why do you think you have more of a right to him than I do?" The way the men fought over him was the perfect, unnecessary boost to Quentin's ego. There was also something insanely compelling about making Daken jealous.

"Off. Now." Daken growled lowly, expelling his claws. "He's mine."

"Aww, spoiling my fun!" The shapeshifter teased, stepping backward and holding up his hands in mock surrender, before heading off into the thick crowd.

"What was that?" Quentin smirked, wrapping his arms around Daken's neck.

"You were too good for him." Daken stated, still snarling at the other man.

"Aren't I too good for _you_?" Quentin teased, leaning up to kiss Daken, who narrowed his eyes a little.

"You've been drinking." He noted.

"No shit, Sherlock." Quentin laughed happily.

"That's not safe." Daken frowned.

"I don't need you looking after me, baby Wolvie." Quentin yawned, his slightly wonky smirk growing.

"I'm not looking after you. And don't call me that." Daken sighed in exasperation. "Please don't tell me this is gonna be exactly the last time..."

"Don't you want me, Daken?" Quentin pouted sadly, leaning into the other mutant.

"I'm not sure I can handle a whole night of your terrible, drunk rambling." Daken reached behind himself to disconnect Quentin's hands and guided them to his sides to separate their bodies.

" _Daken_..." Quentin whined.

"You're drunk. I promised myself next time I slept with you, you'd be entirely sober. Y'know, considering I've only ever had you drunk and severely hungover." Daken rolled his eyes when Quentin stumbled clumsily closer again.

"I'm fine." The telepath assured Daken, the words a little slurred.

"You're not. And I'm not going to take advantage of you..." Daken lowered his voice, the unfamiliar feeling of guilt creeping into his chest. " _Again_."

"I need you, D." Quentin's mind obviously wasn't on what he was saying, as his eyes focused on his own fingers, which trailed the tattoos on Daken's hand.

"I'm taking you back to the school." Daken replied firmly. "You better appreciate this shit in the morning."

"Take me to your hotel, Daken. _Please_." Quentin's words, and the way he managed to make himself sound perfectly sober, hazed Daken's judgement for a moment.

"Kiss me. And tell me want this, that you won't regret it." Daken placed his hands on Quentin's waist, losing his self-control for enough time for Quentin to - as usual - get he wanted.

"I want this. I want _you_. I'm never gonna regret hooking up with the hottest guy I know." Quentin smiled a dorky smile, before kissing Daken passionately.

"Dammit. Fine!" Daken sighed, giving in and rolling his eyes, before turning to the bartender. "Please tell me you have something that works past healing factors, because I don't think I can face this mistake sober..."


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is weird and silly and fluffy and Daken is totally acting like his daddy at the start.
> 
> Also, there is a reason for all of this OOC crap, promise.

"Fuck..." Quentin moaned when Daken drew back the curtains with a harsh sound, the light forcing its way into every corner of the room.

"Rise and shine, sleeping beauty." Daken teased, though his tone was less than amused.

"Close the curtains!" Quentin's words were muffled as he yanked the duvet up over his head.

"Why is it that this is the second time in a week you wake up hungover in my bed?" Daken tugged the duvet away, causing Quentin to groan lowly.

"I'm fine... Just..." He threw his arm over his face to shield his eyes. "Don't talk too loud..."

"No! Fuck you, Quire!" Daken yelled, pushing a hand through his hair in annoyance. "I wasted all of last night looking after you, after you almost fell into the arms of some creepy asshole!"

"So, you're saying I _didn't_ fall into your arms?" Quentin smirked, still covering his eyes with his forearm.

"I'm done joking around with you, kid!" Daken hissed, grabbing the shirt he'd leant Quentin to sleep in and tugging the telepath up from the bed suddenly. "Do you not care about yourself at all?!"

"I would've been fine!" Quentin sighed, rolling his eyes.

"What were you even doing there? A pretty, little twink like you... Do you know how easy you are to take advantage of?" Daken snapped, shoving Quentin back onto the bed.

"You do realize you're not some sort of hero, right? I don't need you to look after me! I'm a big boy now!" Quentin leant back on his hands staring up at Daken, and noting how insanely hot he looked shirtless and bathed in early morning sunlight.

"What? I was just supposed to leave you out there to get drugged? Beaten? Raped? Because that's the kind of area you were in, Q!" Daken turned away, shaking his head.

"I liked it better last time I woke up in a random hotel room with you." Quentin mumbled with a childish, exaggerated sigh.

"Listen, you ungrateful, little shit." Daken snapped, turning back to Quentin suddenly and slamming his hands down on the mattress. "I don't care what you think about what happened last night, whether you needed it or not, I took care of you because you were too drunk and too pathetic to stand up for yourself. And this morning you're gonna say _'thank you, Daken - I'm a major fuck up'_ , then get the fuck back to school and leave me the hell alone."

" _Alternatively,_ " Quentin started strongly, kneeling up so that his face was level with Daken's, just inches away. "You can shut the hell up, give up on this stupid 'anti-hero' image you're trying to develop and just kiss me!"

" _Alternatively,_ " Daken growled, mimicking Quentin's tone mockingly. "No."

"You're so boring. I was just having a good time last night!" Quentin sighed, defeated, and dropped back to lie on the bed.

"A good time doesn't generally end with some random guy slamming you against a wall and forcing his fist into your pretty face!" Daken snapped bluntly. “And we both know that’s where your night was heading.”

"I would've been fine." Quentin rolled his eyes again, before dropping them closed to shut out the light. "Now, can you stop yelling?"

"You were fucking mindless! God knows who would have found you if I hadn't!" Daken argued, glaring down at Quentin, who didn't bother to react.

"Don't know. Don't care." He yawned, rolling over so that his back was to Daken.

"Get out of my bed." Daken mumbled, almost twitching with irritation.

"I'm busy recovering from what feels like Kubark punching the inside of my skull." Quentin shrugged, pulling the duvet over his body again.

"Get up." Daken ordered, more than infuriated when Quentin didn't move. Leaning over the telepath, he unsheathed his wrist claw and pressed it to Quentin's throat. "I swear to God, Quire, if you don't get out of my sight in the next five minutes, I'm gonna cut your goddamn head off." Despite his harsh tone and the uncomfortable pressure he put on Quentin's neck, they both knew Daken's threat was completely empty, which made it sound totally ridiculous to hear.

"Fuck off..." Quentin mumbled tiredly, pushing Daken's arm away lazily.

"You- you-" Daken sighed, giving up on the insult and the whole situation in general. This was getting him nowhere.

"I am extremely tired. So, if you don't have a good enough reason to wake me up, I'm going back to sleep." Quentin yawned, his eyes still locked firmly shut.

Rolling his eyes, Daken settled into the bed and kissed Quentin's neck sweetly. "I'm sorry." He whispered. "I guess you just scare me when you're like this."

"Like what?" Quentin sneaked one eye open at Daken's confession.

"When you act like you're invincible. You're not. My apparent immortality really opens my eyes to just how mortal everybody else is..." Daken explained quietly, finally allowing himself to wrap his arm around Quentin's waist, pulling him closer and kissing the nape of his neck.

"I'm not gonna die. I've seen my future. I still have to become a complete, Phoenix-possessed asshole before I die." Quentin shrugged carelessly.

"Just because you've seen the future and you're in it, doesn't mean you can live recklessly. The future can change." Daken whispered, nuzzling Quentin's shoulder.

"What's up with you anyway?" Quentin yawned, shifting around in Daken's arms to face him. "I thought I was just a fuck buddy. Why are you being so over protective?"

"I take good care of my fuck buddies, Quentin." Daken replied far too seriously.

"You're pretty amazing, you know that?" Quentin blushed as he said the words.

"Firstly, yes, I am well aware of that. Secondly, if you're gonna get all emotional, please leave the room, because I did not sign up for sobbing, romantic teenage ramblings when I slept with you." Daken replied firmly.

"Thank you for last night, D." Quentin spoke quietly, rolling over again, not wanting to be heard actually admitting he was wrong. "I was being stupid, and I'm sorry."

"Wait. What was that?" Daken smirked, pushing up onto his elbow and looking down at Quentin with a grin. "I don't think I quite heard you."

"Too bad. I'm not saying it again." Quentin grinned past his tired expression and Daken took this as a personal challenge to wake the telepath.

"Yes, you are. Or no sex for poor, desperate QQ." He whispered, drawing his lips and the tip of his tongue back along Quentin's jawline.

"Daken!" Quentin complained, pouting.

"What? It's simple. Just repeat what you said and I'll give you what you want." Daken smirked, his lips grazing Quentin's neck as he spoke.

"Nope." Quentin chuckled. "Not gonna happen."

"You sure?" Daken purred, biting gently on Quentin's neck, the way he knew drove the telepath insane. Sure enough, Quentin moaned in pleasure.

"Totally." He gasped, ignoring how much he loved the hint of pain in the contact.

"Sure?" Daken repeated, his smirk growing as his arm wrapped around Quentin's waist and his hand pushed into Quentin's boxers, causing the telepath to moan lowly.

"Alright, alright!" Quentin agreed, lowering his voice to an unamused mumble. "Thank you for taking care of me. I was wrong. I wasn't safe."

"And..?" Daken pushed, his smirk growing.

"And I'm-" Quentin sighed in irritation, opening his eyes just so that he could pointedly roll them. "I'm _sorry_."

"Good boy." Daken laughed loudly, sending a shock of pain through Quentin's head. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"

"Stop talking. Close drapes. Hangover hurts." Quentin complained wincing in discomfort, before closing his eyes.

"But I thought you loved me talking... Telling you what to do..." Daken purred, nibbling Quentin's ear softly before pulling back with a frown and poking at the spacer that was pushed through Quentin's earlobe. "These piercing things are stupid."

"I like it." Quentin yawned dismissively. "You can't really lecture me about body mods."

"I have no issues with body modifications. I love your tattoo. Most piercings are pretty cool. But _ugh_. These are just horrid." Daken stated in displeasure.

"Relax, it's only 5mm." Quentin replied carelessly.

"You have a disgusting, plastic spike through your ear." Daken rolled his eyes.

"I am aware of that fact, D." Quentin chuckled. "Now, will you please close the drapes? I'm dying here."

"Fine." Daken sighed, climbing out of bed with a yawn and flicking the curtains shut and pushing his pants off, before dropping back into bed. "Better, your highness?" Daken teased, pushing his hand through Quentin's hair.

"Mmhmm." Quentin hummed tiredly, snuggling up to the pillow.

"No way! You are not falling asleep on me!" Daken smirked, punching Quentin playfully in the ribs.

"D..." Quentin moaned, burying his head in Daken's shoulder.

"You're so annoying." Daken's tone held a hint of compassion, and he masked it quickly.

"Mmhmm." Quentin yawned loudly and snuggled up to Daken's chest.

"Dammit, kid..." Daken sighed, though he couldn't mask the slight smile that pulled at the corner his lips.

"You're really comfortable..." Quentin teased, smirking tiredly.

"Okay, okay. Whatever." Rolling his eyes, Daken kissed Quentin's hair. "Sure. Go ahead. Sleep it off."

"Thank you, D..." Quentin yawned again, somehow pushing himself even closer to Daken.

"Shut up and go to sleep, nerd." Daken teased, smiling gently. He felt Quentin's mood calm a little, and could soon tell the teenager was sleeping heavily in his arms. Rolling his eyes again, he sighed and relaxed back in the bed.

" _Idiot_." He murmured with a small smirk.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry, this is not going very fast. But things will be happening soon.  
> Also, Daken is possessive and I want him.

"Evan, trust me." Quentin sighed, shoving a shirt into his bag. "I'm an adult now. I can handle myself."

"I do trust you." Evan replied quietly, staring down at his knotted fingers which rested in his lap as he sat on the edge of Quentin's bed.

"Then, what's the issue here?" Quentin huffed, getting increasingly irritable. _Why did Evan have to put a downer on everything?! He was actually excited about this until Evan Sabahnur had knocked on his bedroom door._

"The issue is that I _don't_ trust this guy. You've been dating him for almost four months now. You're spending at least one night a week with him. And we still haven't met him." Evan mumbled, trailing a fingertip over Quentin's bed mindlessly. "For all we know, he could be some psycho murderer!"

Quentin released a scoff of laughter at the appropriateness of the comment. "We're not dating. We're-"

"Having sex?" Evan's head flicked up and he shot Quentin a sarcastic smile, narrowing his eyes a little.

"Yes, _actually_." Quentin hissed immaturely in response.

"He's using you!" Evan snapped suddenly, standing from the bed.

"Oh, so you didn't say anything about this for four months, but now he wants me to spend a few days with him, he's suddenly _'using me'_?" Quentin raised his eyebrows, forcing some skinny jeans into the already full bag. "You don't even know him! You don't understand!"

"I don't need to know him to know that this isn't right!" Evan took Quentin's wrist, looking over to him with his usual, pleading expression. "You're too powerful, Quinn. Everyone knows that. This guy-"

"So, the only reason anyone could ever want me is my mutation, right?" Quentin tugged his hand away from Evan. He rarely got this emotional in front of anyone, but Evan was different. He and Evan shared something that he couldn't seem to pinpoint. His telepathy just locked onto the other mutant, connecting them emotionally. "I get it, Ev. I'm _unlovable_. But hey, maybe don't be so nice about it next time!"

"That's not what I meant!" Evan seemed to be almost begging now. "I meant... I just... Quentin, please!"

"No! It's fine. I know full well what you meant, and how sweet of you to say so." Quentin snarled sarcastically.

"I meant..." Evan took a moment to order his thoughts. "I meant... I just don't want to see you get hurt."

"I'm not going to get hurt. It's only sex, Evan. It's not like I'm in love with the guy." Quentin sighed quietly, returning to his packing, because he knew that wasn't strictly true. Sure, he wasn't _in love_ with Daken, but he was halfway there. They'd spent so much time together in the past twelve weeks that Quentin had found it difficult not to form a slight attachment to the older mutant. Especially when Daken seemed to treat him so well. This was a notable villain he was sleeping with, and said villain treated him so perfectly, so sweetly. Almost like a boyfriend, sometimes. _Almost_.

They'd been out on a few dates, just casually, to waste time. But both had been quick to make it clear that there relationship should never be more than simply physical. _Even if Daken had seemed so strangely protective in the past two weeks..._

"Quentin!" Evan took Quentin's shoulders, snapping him from his daze. "Are you even listening to me?!"

"Honestly? No." Quentin shrugged carelessly. "It's just five days, Ev. Get over it."

"I can't!" Evan almost choked on the words, before lowering his voice to a whisper. "It's been painful, but easy to ignore until now. I could just pretend you were sleeping in, in your room or something."

"What are you talking about?" Quentin glanced back at Evan, slinging the bag over his shoulder. But, _of course_ , he knew. Evan's crush was obvious, even without telepathy.

"I'm jealous..." Evan confessed, staring at the floor with a growing blush.

"Why?" Quentin stepped closer, tipping up Evan's chin with his finger tips and looking into his eyes.

"Because it should be _me_..." Evan's voice was barely audible. " _I_ should be the one you're always daydreaming about. _I_ should be the one to make you happy. _I_ should be the one to spend all this time with you. I should've- _I_ should've been the first boy you did... _That_ , with."

"Ev, I care about you." Quentin whispered, stroking Evan's cheek with his thumb.

" _But_?" Evan prompted sadly.

" _But_ I need to figure out what's going on with this other guy, right now. You... You're sweet, and secure. And totally amazing, really." Quentin sighed heavily - _this was sounding terrible_. "But right now I need something that burns. Something exciting and dangerous. And, most importantly, someone I can't hurt."

"I don't care if you hurt me!" Evan begged, eyes watering slightly. "And I can be exciting!"

"But _I_ care." Quentin whispered, taking Evan's face in his hands. "I promise I'll come back for you. Just let me get over this. I'm not right for you just now."

"Kiss me?" Evan suggested, his blush growing.

"Of course." Quentin smiled, before kissing Evan slowly, pulling him closer.

"Why won't you choose me?" Evan whispered, his voice weak and small.

"Because you're not safe with me. I don't want to hurt you." Quentin replied carefully. "I can't hurt him. He's... He has... He's different."

"So, he's better than me?" Evan looked away, blinking a little and Quentin could tell he was trying not to cry.

"No! I mean, in the way that he- You can't- I think that possibly-" Quentin sighed heavily. For the first time he was experiencing what it felt like to have a brain that just didn't seem to work. He didn't appreciate it.

"So, what you're saying is, right now, you'd prefer to just do _that_ with _him_ , than to _be_ with _me_?" Evan looked into Quentin's eyes, his breathing wavering.

"Yes." Quentin replied quickly, before widening his eyes. "Wait! _No_! No, no, no, no!"

"It's okay. I understand." Evan sighed, heading for the door quickly.

"Evan, _please_! I care about you! But- And the future- And I can't risk-"

"The future isn't solid, Quentin." Evan cut through Quentin's words. "Haven't you ever considered that we could change it?"

"I thought-" Quentin's words were cut off by Evan slamming the door. " _Stupid_ feelings. _Stupid_ , cute Evan. _Stupid_ head." He hissed, slamming his forehead against the wall repeatedly. His phone vibrated heavily in his pocket and he retrieved it and accepted the call without removing his forehead from the wall.

"Hey." He sighed, closing his eyes.

"Awh!" Quentin could almost hear the sarcastic pout in Daken's voice. "What's wrong, pinkie pie?"

"Boy trouble." Quentin replied mockingly.

"What?" Daken sounded almost insulted and it caused Quentin to frown deeply.

"Umm... Just a guy that likes me..." He explained vaguely. "I kissed him, I guess."

"You _guess_?" Daken asked quickly, his tone suspiciously sharp.

"Geez, Daken. Calm down." Quentin stepped back and dropped onto the bed heavily. "We had a fight. He told me he liked me. I kissed him. He got unnecessarily pissy and left."

"A fight?" Daken's curiosity was clear. "Are you okay?"

"An _argument_." Quentin corrected with another sigh. "I'm fine. So, why are you calling?"

"Do you want him?" Daken questioned bluntly.

"No, not in that way." Quentin rolled his eyes. "C'mon, D. Don't be so jealous."

"I'm not jealous, Quentin." The way Daken purred his name sent a shiver through Quentin's body. "You're not gonna leave for a petty schoolboy." Daken managed to present the words as some sort of order.

"We're not _'together'_ , so how could I leave you?" Quentin snapped back harshly. "And he's not some _'petty schoolboy'_. He's my best friend. So don't be such a jerk!"

"I'm not being-" Daken seemed to catch himself before finishing the sentence. He took a strong breath before continuing. "Whatever. I only called to say that I'm back at the hotel now. So, you can come over whenever. The front desk will probably hassle you. Just use one of your fancy mind tricks."

"Sure." Quentin replied quickly before shutting off the call. He wanted Daken to know he was pissed with him. Daken was being jealous and irritating and, right now, Quentin really wasn't in the mood.

Still, he finished packing and left his room quickly.

"Quire!" Quentin groaned inwardly and turned to face Logan who'd quickly appeared behind him.

"Oh, Logan, what a _pleasant_ surprise." He mumbled sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"Listen, kid. I don't know what's goin' on between you and Evan, but I've had some of the other kids are say-"

"Me and Evan are fine. Just leave me alone, yeah?" Quentin hissed, narrowing his eyes. "I got somewhere I need to be."

"Where?" Logan asked sharply.

"Just... _Somewhere_." Quentin sighed, pushing a hand to his forehead. "I booked the week off, okay? Storm was fine with it."

"Just tell me, Quire." Logan growled, stepping closer.

"I'm not a child, okay?!" Quentin snapped, pulling back. "I'm more powerful than anyone else in this school. I don't need anyone to protect me! Especially not you! I can look after myself just fine! So, back off!"

"Alright, kid. Ya really pissin' me off now." Logan called as Quentin headed towards to door at the end of the hall.

"Not a kid!" Quentin yelled, telekinetically smashing the lightbulb above him in a terribly immature attempt at proving how ‘threatening’ he was. A shard of glass left a neat cut across his cheek, but he ignored it, resisting a wince as he left the school.

He needed to get everything about this irritatingly school, the stupid teachers and the horribly perfect students out of his head now. And five days and six nights in a hotel room with Daken seemed like the perfect way to do that...


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE PLOT THICKENS! DUN DUN DUNNNNN! Whatever, that's just my pretentious way of saying 'wow, i guess some important shit happens in this chapter'.
> 
> Q and Daken acting like boyfriends and denying everything completely, like Meg from Hercules.
> 
> Also, I make reference to kinky Q in this because I just love him too much. >:D

Daken was jealous. He would never admit that outside of his own mind, but he was. _Terribly_.

Quentin Quire was his and _only_ his. He hadn't spent far too much of his free time in the past few months working to make the telepath trust him, for some desperate, schoolboy crush to ruin that.

And really, the jealousy wasn't even the worst part about this situation. The worst part was that his scheme wasn't even the main reason for this jealousy.

He was jealous, because he was actually starting to really enjoy being with Quentin. _He didn't care about him! No! No way! That would be absurd! He didn't feel anything towards the irritatingly perfect teenager. No way_. But he had grown slightly... _Fond_. Feelings were for the foolish and the weak, and Daken had methods to ensure he never felt anything for anyone. Sex was a purely physical act that generally required at least two people. Like a sport. Or a _game_. To enjoy it fully, you need a competitor, a partner. And that is all. No feelings. No emotions. Just fun. Daken knew this. Daken had lived like this for as long as he wanted to remember. Sex meant nothing to him. Just a fun, easy way to manipulate.

And Quentin was certainly manipulated by now. But he was also certainly fun. Hellishly. More fun that Daken had had in a long time. That could possibly have been due to his addictive, sarcastic personality. Or maybe it was just... _Him_.

Quentin Quire was frustrating, immature, annoying, impulsive, careless and perfect. Maybe - if he learnt to think things through a little more - Quentin may have actually reminded Daken of himself.

But Daken didn't care about him. _No way_. Even when the telepath awoke, breathless and panicked at 2am after a nightmare the previous weekend, and Daken had comforted him. That wasn't out of compassion. That was all for the development of the plan. At least, that's what Daken had told himself.

And this - inviting Quentin to stay with him - this was for the plan too. It wasn't in any way because Daken just really loved watching Quentin sleep in his arms. Or because he missed him.

_No way._

This was all just going along with the plan.

Because Daken Akihiro did not have feelings.

Feelings fucked things up.

He was just doing what _she_ told him. _She_ wanted something and he volunteered to help out. _He was okay. Totally fine._ He didn't feel guilty for playing Quentin at all. _No. Never._

"Listen!" The door to Daken's hotel room flew open suddenly, and he was actually _caught off guard_ \- too distracted by convincing himself he didn't care. Startled, he sat upright on the bed he had just been laying back on, and shot Quentin a sharp look for surprising him. "I don't want to talk about Evan. If you bring it up, I will find a way past the traps in your mind and fuck you up so badly that the only thing you remember is the sentence _'don't fuck with Quentin Quire'_."

Daken frowned deeply at this and stood from the bed, taking Quentin into his arms. "You mean your lonely fanboy is the Apocalypse boy?"

"His name is Evan." Quentin corrected protectively. "And how did you not get the whole _'if you bring this up, I murder you'_ thing?"

"Oh..." Daken bit his lip, far too caught up in himself to notice Quentin's words. _Yup, this was it_. He wasn't even able to deny it anymore. _Guilt_. _Guilt_ for manipulating Quentin. _Guilt_ for hurting Evan so long ago. _Guilt_ for anything he'd done that would ever come back to Quentin in any way. _Guilt. Guilt. Guilt._ And it was so _strange_.

"Quentin, _dear_." He purred, regaining his facade. "Please, do try to break into my mind. Then we'll see which one of us ends up 'fucked up so badly'."

He ruffled Quentin's hair as the telepath stood speechless and insulted by Daken's patronizing attitude.

"Whatever." Quentin mumbled, obviously knowing Daken was right but never ever wanting to admit it. "Just kiss me. I have had the worst day. So, there was _that_ whole thing. And before that, I couldn't get the bamfs to leave me the fuck alone. And this morning I had to help out in Rachael's class, which is never fun because she still holds that damn grudge. And last night I dreamt of the Phoenix again. And at lunch I had an angsty Julian Keller thinking he was better than me. And just now, on the way here, I-"

"Okay, firstly." Daken cut in, laughing. Quentin Quire was indescribably adorable. "What is a 'bamf'? Secondly, slow down. Thirdly, you had another dream? They're getting more frequent, huh? And lastly, how am I supposed to kiss you if you won't stop talking?"

"Firstly," Quentin repeated mockingly in an immature manner. "Bamfs are my evil henchmen. They're tiny, blue, fuzzy and annoying, and they teleport too much for their own good. That's all you need to know."

"What a coincidence." Daken smirked, flicking Quentin's hair down over his eyes. " _You're_ tiny, _pink_ , fuzzy and annoying."

"Secondly," Quentin growled pointedly, narrowing his eyes. "I'm not gonna slow down; you need to learn to keep up. Thirdly, yes, and yes. Lastly, maybe you should gag me."

"I can keep up with you just fine, pinkie pie." Daken smirked, pulling Quentin closer. "And what is it with you and your kinks at the moment?"

"What is it with _you_ and your _lack of_ kinks?" Quentin retorted, strangely defensive. "It's weird."

"Oh? So, _I'm_ weird because I _don't_ have kinks?" Daken laughed, kissing Quentin softly.

"Yes." Quentin stated strongly, pouting a little.

"You're adorable." Daken whispered with a small chuckle that he noted as a sound that should never come from his mouth.

"No!" Quentin moaned. "I'm not cute! I'm dangerous! And badass!"

"Yeah, I agree." Daken rolled his eyes with a smirk. "Shut up."

"I missed you." Quentin whispered quickly before they kissed. "I want to stay mad at you, but I can't."

"I know. I'm perfectly charming." Daken teased, locking his arms around Quentin's waist and lifting him from the ground.

"Daken!" Quentin complained, wrapping his legs around Daken's hips and draping his arms over Daken's shoulders lazily.

"I missed you too." Daken confessed in a low whispered. "Happy?"

"Very." Quentin giggled, before biting Daken's lip lightly. "Thank you for making my day better. You're amazing."

" _Q_..." Daken warned sternly.

"Oh yeah. ‘ _Feelings’_. Sorry." Quentin blushed, looking down.

"It's okay." Daken smiled, because, _damn, Quentin was cute when he blushed like that_. "Kiss me to make it up to me?"

"Yeah." Quentin agreed quietly, kissing Daken slowly. In some ways it was worse than him speaking. Because the kiss was full of _'feelings'_. But this way at least they could pretend they didn't know and actually enjoy the shared emotion between them.

"Hmmm..." Daken trailed kisses down Quentin's neck. "We should go to bed."

"What? But it's only, like, eight o'clock!" Quentin moaned childishly, dropping his head back to allow Daken easier access to his neck.

" _No_." Daken smirked, rolling his eyes. "I didn't say anything about sleeping."

" _Ohh_..." Quentin elongated the vowel, blushing when Daken bit his neck.

"Idiot." Daken laughed, carrying Quentin over to the bed and dropping him heavily on the mattress.

"Shut up. I wasn't thinking properly." Quentin argued with a pout. "You were distracting me."

"Q..." Daken smirked, pushing Quentin back on the bed and straddling his hips. "Stop talking."

"But-"

"Don't make me gag you, Quire." Daken teased, kissing along Quentin's jawline.

"Daken!" Quentin moaned in complaint. "You can’t say stuff like that! That's not fair!"

"Then, stop talking and kiss me." Daken dared with a playful smirk.

"Deal." Quentin agreed and kissed Daken passionately, smiling against his lips.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this before I'd even finished writing the third chapter, so it's super duper old, but y'know, feels.
> 
> It's all very poo and ugh, but will hopefully make sense in the long run, idk. 
> 
> I guess some of this is the slightest bit uncomfortable/disturbing, but not in much detail...

"No!" Daken yelled, his claws expelling from his wrists and knuckles, slicing through the bed sheets. Quentin awoke suddenly at the sound, darting back in the bed slightly, before calming himself.

"Daken?" He whispered, looking over the sleeping man beside him, who had calmed for a moment. "Are you- Are you okay?"

Daken murmured slightly in his sleep, his face - illuminated by the moonlight through the window - contorted into a pained expression.

"Please-" he gasped, flicking his hand out, causing Quentin to flinch as the claws neared his skin. "No. Anything but- No. Please."

He seemed to be sobbing now, and Quentin ached to wake him, but was unsure how. He couldn't use his telepathy. He couldn't touch him.

"Daken?" He raised his voice a little. "Please wake up, D! You're having a nightmare. But it's okay. I'm here. Please, wake up?"

"No! Don't! Stop!" Daken's begs became more frantic now. "I'll be good! I won't do it again! Please!"

Quentin felt a stab of pain hearing the words, knowing it must be something to do with his past. His terrible, disgusting past. Quentin had been catching glimpses of it over the past few months, his telepathy invading Daken’s mind ever-so-slightly when they slept. But he was always glad for Daken’s resistance, because he never wanted to know more.

"Daken! Daken, wake up!" Quentin begged.

"Please! Don't! Get away!" Daken's face was stained with tears now.

"I swear, if you don't wake up, I'll telekinetically throw you out the window!" Quentin yelled, panicking now. "Just wake the fu-"

" _Quentin_!" Daken cried out, the name full of fear. His body arched against the bed, as if in pain. "No! No! Please! No!"

"Daken! I'm here!" Quentin was almost in tears himself now. "Please wake up! You have to wake up!"

"No! Don't-" Daken choked through the sobs.

"Daken!" Quentin cried, choosing now to give up. Ignoring his fear, he straddled Daken's waist and slapped him once, hard around the face. Daken gasped, and there were suddenly three claws halted inches from Quentin's face.

"Quentin..." Daken breathed, retracting his claws, and pulled Quentin to his chest, much to the other boy's surprise.

"Why- You-" Quentin stuttered, unable to speak properly. "Y-you were having a nightmare- Yelling- A-and pleading. You- You said my name."

"You're safe." Daken panted, his heart still racing, and cried into Quentin's hair.

"Of course, I am. I've been here the whole-"

"They didn't- You're-" Daken broke down into sobs.

"Daken... It's okay. It was just a dream." Quentin frowned, not understanding.

"They- they put their hands on you! They did things to you! You have no idea-" Daken shook his head. "I tried, but- I just- I couldn't stop them!"

"What?" Quentin pulled back and looked at Daken curiously.

"They wanted to hurt me... But- They- They couldn't. So, they found you. They hurt you! I- They-" Daken spoke incredibly fast, panting and sobbing through the words.

"It's okay, D. I'm fine. Everything is okay." Quentin whispered, taking Daken's hand and locking their fingers together. "No one's gonna hurt me. They wouldn't even try!"

"I couldn't stop it... I was so scared! But they wouldn't stop." Daken's ramblings were calmer now.

"Shhh..." Quentin settled onto Daken's chest, yawning. "It was just a dream."

"Thank you." Daken's breathing began to settle as he wrapped his arms tightly around the other boy.

"What for?" Quentin whispered tiredly, closing his eyes.

"Being here." Daken replied weakly.

"Daken..." Quentin pushed up on his hands and looked down at Daken, yawning through his name. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

Daken didn't respond, instead choosing to relax into the bed with a sigh. Hugging Quentin closer, he pushed a kiss to his hair.

"If you need anything, wake me..." Quentin murmured tiredly, relaxing into the embrace and closing his eyes.

 

 

 

_Fire. Quentin could feel nothing but heat and fire. An uncomfortable, suffocating warmth that seemed to grasp and clutch at his breath. He tried to shout out at the bright, fiery light as it forced his eyes open, but no sound came. He couldn't speak, he couldn't see, he could barely breathe._

_"Quentin?" Evan's panicked voice shot out through the crackles of the flames. Quentin desperately attempted to call out, but no words came._

_"Quentin! Stop!" Evan was obviously sobbing now, and Quentin searched the bright light for him, but found nothing. "Quentin, you're hurting me!"_

_"Evan!" Quentin called out finally, but his voice sounded strangled and distant. "What's wrong?"_

_"Stop!" Evan screamed, and Quentin noticed his keeled over figure as the flames around himself parted._

_"Ev! What's wrong? What's happening?" Quentin reached out but found his feet rooted to the ground. "Come here! I can help you!"_

_"Why are you doing this?" Evan sobbed, slowly standing up straight. "I thought you were my friend."_

_"I am! What's going on? Why can't I-" Quentin stopped, his words shut off in his throat when Evan lifted his head. The complete left side of his face was burnt off, scarred and peeling. He tilted his head, watching Quentin through the one eye that wasn't seared closed. "Oh god. Evan..."_

_"What's wrong, Quentin?" Evan's tone changed and a sadistic smile took his lips. "You don't think I'm cute anymore?"_

_"Oh my god." Quentin attempted to back away, but still couldn't quite achieve. "What happened to you?"_

_"You did, Phoenix." Evan purred, drawing closer and draping his arms over Quentin's shoulders._

_"No!" Quentin yelled. "No! I- I wouldn't- I didn't-"_

_"Quentin!" Suddenly, the scars and burns had disappeared and Evan was back to begging and crying. "Help me! Please!"_

_"What's wrong? Evan!" Quentin took Evan's shoulders and shook him._

_"He's coming! Help me! I can't stop him!" The words were only just coherent through Evan's sobs._

_"Who? Who are you talking about?" Quentin stared into Evan's panicked, tear-filled eyes desperately. "Evan! Who is it?"_

_"You lead him here!" Evan cried. "You let him do this to-"_

_Evan's words shut off with a hitch in his breath, before his mouth fell open in a silent scream._

_"Evan!" Quentin yelled, taking the other boy's face in his hands, just as Evan lowered his head to look down his body. Quentin followed this action to see three far too familiar bone claws protruding from Evan's lower chest._

_"No! No, no, no, no! Evan!" Quentin screamed, taking Evan's now limp body into his arms as the claws retracted. He fell to his knees, with Evan's body in his lap. "No! No, Evan! Please wake up! Please! Oh god. Why? Please, Ev! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"_

_"What's wrong, pinkie pie?" Quentin looked up to see Daken looming over him, brandishing a terrifying grin on his blood splattered face. "I thought this was what you wanted."_

_"You killed him!" Quentin yelled through the tears._

_"No, Phoenix." Daken knelt in front on him, looking down at Evan's body with a terrible smirk. "_ You _killed him."_

_Past the tears that blurred his vision, Quentin looked over Evan's face again, where the burns had now returned, harsh red scars and blisters snaking down his neck._

_"You did this, Phoenix. It was all you." Daken whispered._

_"No! No! I-" Quentin gasped when he looked up to see Daken's face covered in the same burns._

_"Look what you've done to us, Quentin Quire. Look how you've destroyed everything important to you."_

_"No! I didn't! I swear!" Quentin clutched Evan's body to his own, tightly. "Help me!"_

_"You don't deserve anyone's help." Daken growled. "You killed us."_

 

 

Quentin awoke with a gasp, his body covered in a thin veil of sweat. Flicking his head around desperately, his heart somehow raced even faster when he couldn't locate Daken. Sitting up, he scanned the room, shaking.

"Daken?" Quentin noted that his own voice was quiet and scratchy. "Daken? Where are you?"

"Hey! I'm here!" Daken laughed, rushing into the room in a pair of soft, grey pajama pants that hung so perfectly from his hips. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing..." Quentin sighed, a small smile taking his lips. "I'm fine."

"Good morning." Daken smirked, dropping onto the bed and kissing Quentin sweetly. "Don't lie to me; I could hear your heart racing from the other room."

"Just a dream. Doesn't matter." Quentin shrugged, settling back into the bed.

"Another?" Daken frowned a little, before shaking off the concerned expression and lying down beside Quentin.

"It's no big deal. I'm over it." Quentin shrugged, though his heart still beat loudly in his ears and he knew Daken was aware of this.

"Tell me about it." It wasn't a question, like Quentin's had been earlier that night.

"Phoenix. Evan." Quentin replied vaguely, not wanting to discuss it.

"Evan?" Daken seemed to tense as he said the name.

"Yes." Quentin murmured, snuggling into Daken's chest.

"Oh." If he hadn't known better, Quentin would have thought he heard a hint of regret in Daken's voice.

"What about yours?" Quentin asked suddenly.

"What?" Daken's features took a harsh frown.

"Your dream. About me. What happened?" Quentin pushed.

"Nothing. I mean, I told you." Daken turned his face away to hide his scowl. "We're talking about you, here. Not me."

"Fine." Quentin sighed. "If I tell you about mine, you tell me about yours."

Daken sighed in exasperation. "Fine."

"You go first." Quentin blushed, turning away.

"No. No way. Your heart rate is still through the roof. Something must have really fucked you up in there." Daken laughed, tapping Quentin's forehead. Quentin batted his hand away in irritation.

"You try being a telepath! The photographic memory is great when you wanna remember something, not so great when you wanna forget." He finished the sentence sadly.

"Okay, okay!" Daken bit his lip to hide any more laughter, but Quentin was adorable when he was mad and it totally messed with Daken's head. "So, let me help you forget. Tell me about it?"

Quentin sighed and turned his face away. "There was fire. And I could hear Evan's voice and, _oh god_. He sounded so terrified. He may be a totally annoying, little nerd, but he's still my best friend and I still care about him, and I still... I still wanna help him! But I couldn't move I couldn't do anything! And he was screaming and begging me to stop and I didn't understand, because I wasn't doing anything! And then he looked at me and he had these scars and burns on his face and... They were- He- He went all weird! And he was smiling and he told me that it was my fault- that I did that to him. And then he was crying again and-" Quentin stopped, abruptly remembering that he didn't want Daken to see his own part in his nightmare.

" _And_?" Daken took Quentin's chin in his hand and guided his face back to look at him.

"He died." Quentin whispered. "It was all my fault."

Quentin was sure that Daken must be able to see he was lying, but if he did, he didn't call Quentin out on it.

"You're scared of hurting him?" Daken frowned a little as if he couldn't understand the concern.

"I know I do. In the future, as the Phoenix..." Quentin shook his head slightly and turned away again.

"And you don't want that?" Daken questioned.

"Of course I don't! The Phoenix terrifies me already! To know that I do actually- that I- Evan-" Quentin sighed and buried his face in his hands. "Can't we talk about you now?"

"Fine." Daken bit his lip and sat up in the bed, leaning against the head board and looking down at his hands.

"So, what happened?" Quentin asked softly, looking up at Daken with a sympathetic expression.

"Some people from my past - my childhood. I dunno, I did something wrong, something they didn't like. They told me that I needed punishing, and I said I didn't care, that I'd felt it all before and there was nothing they could do to hurt me now." Daken combed a hand through his hair, something Quentin noted he did when he was stressed or upset. "But then they said they _could_ hurt me, that they had a way. And I laughed at them. I was scared, but I _laughed_. But then..." Daken stopped with a quick sigh, as if the words were lodged somewhere in his throat.

"Daken..." Quentin whispered, sitting up and resting his head on Daken's chest.

"They pulled you out in front of me. You were gagged and tied up and the fear..." Daken shuddered a little past the word. "I could smell your terror, but it was nothing compared to the panic in your eyes. And then I remember being angry. Yelling at them and telling them to let you go. But they wouldn't. And I wanted to attack them, to hurt them for scaring you, but I couldn't move!" Hearing Daken's heart rate increase, Quentin sat up more and kissed his neck gently.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm safe." He whispered, settling back against Daken's shoulder.

"And then they untied you, and I thought they were going to let you go. But they didn't. They threw you to the ground and..." Daken smirked slightly, though his body still trembled a little. "You made one of your snide remarks, and I remember being so proud of you for not showing them how scared you were."

"That's because I wouldn't have been scared, D. I don't get scared." Quentin teased, kissing Daken's shoulder sweetly.

"But then _he_ was there, standing over you." Daken's whole body tensed and Quentin nuzzled his neck in a comforting gesture. " _'I'm going to make you hurt'_. That's what he said to me, with a foot on your chest, pinning you down. _'I'll make you scream for me to stop'_."

"Hey, it's okay. I'm here." Quentin whispered, when he felt his emotions irrationally pique, demonstrating Daken's control over his pheromones slipping.

"And then he shot me this disgusting, sadistic grin he used to have on his face when I was younger, before he-" the words locked in Daken's throat. "It was his way of saying that he was going to do to you what he did to me. And I couldn't let that happen. I- I tried- I wanted to- I- But I couldn't move. I was petrified. And I watched him- You- And then, you woke me up."

"Daken..." Quentin breathed.

"Shit." Daken hissed, pulling away. "I shouldn't have told you that. You didn't need to know that."

"What?" Quentin frowned. "But-"

"No. I- I should-" Daken got up from the bed with a heavy sigh. "I'm going to make pancakes."

"What?" Quentin couldn't hide his confused laughter.

"I don't know. I just wanna make pancakes." Daken shrugged, walking through to the kitchen of the large apartment.

"You're unbelievable." Quentin smirked, climbing out of bed, tugging on his jeans and heading to the kitchen.

"Pancakes help take my mind off things." Daken called over the clatter of pots and cutlery.

"Are we talking homemade or bottle mix?" Quentin leant against the doorframe with an amused smirk. He was given his answer when Daken stumbled and dropped a large bag of flour to the floor, sending a small white cloud into the air. "Well, this really wasn't what I expected when I first heard about the 'terrible son of Wolverine'."

" _One egg. Forty five grams of flour. Forty of sugar. Quarter teaspoon of baking soda to tablespoon of water. Teaspoon of honey to tablespoon of water. Nutella_." Daken relayed as if the words had been rehearsed a thousand times.

"That is not a pancake recipe!" Quentin laughed from the doorway.

"Technically, it is." Daken murmured, focusing on measuring out the sugar. "It's dorayaki. Japanese pancakes. You're supposed to use this amazing red bean paste, but Nutella works and it's easier to find here."

"I've never tried do-rah-yak-ee." Quentin frowned at the realization that his Japanese pronunciation was truly hideous.

"I know. I didn't expect you to." Daken replied, cracking the egg into a large bowl. "It's pronounced 'door-eye-yar-key'." He spoke slowly, emphasizing each syllable.

"You should teach me Japanese!" Quentin suggested, wandering over to stand beside Daken.

"What? So you can annoy me in _another_ language? No, thanks." Daken scoffed, whisking the egg and sugar together.

"Come on! Just one sentence?"  Quentin pouted, hopping up to sit on the kitchen counter.

"Fine." Daken sighed, rejecting the kitchen implements to stand in front of where Quentin sat. "Say _'Daken ga utsukushii'_."

Quentin tilted his head at how amazingly attractive Daken sounded when speaking Japanese.

"Daken gar ut-so-koosh-e." Quentin laughed through the words.

"It's 'ooh-tsoo-koo-shee', idiot." Daken rolled his eyes with a sigh. "And _'gah'_. Make it softer."

" _Daken ga utsukushii_." Quentin spoke almost perfectly now and Daken was quite impressed, even if he wouldn't admit it. "What did I say?"

"You said I was beautiful." Daken smirked, turning his attention back to the bowl of ingredients.

"So, the first sentence I spoke in Japanese was a lie. That sucks." Quentin teased, swinging his legs back and forth.

" _Anata wa Quentin Quire, anata ga shitte iru yori watashi ni ōku o imi suru. To watashi wa anata no tame ni ochita koto ga kirai_." Daken spoke smoothly, flicking a glance to Quentin for a moment as he did, a small smirk on his lips. He found it irresistibly amusing that the telepath couldn't understand him.

"Hey! I heard my name! What did you say, jackass?" Quentin frowned deeply, curiosity written across his expression.

 _You, Quentin Quire, mean more to me than you know. And I hate that I've fallen for you_. Daken sighed when he thought the words, more than thankful for his telepathic resistance.

"You, Quentin Quire, are super annoying. And if you don't get your ass off the counter top, I'll stab you." Daken yawned through the almost rehearsed words.

"But it's comfy!" Quentin moaned, buying Daken's lie.

"Yeah, and I prepare food there, pinkie pie." Daken rolled his eyes, combining the ingredients. "You gonna help me with these pancakes or what?"

"Daken?" Quentin dropped down from the counter top, choosing to now stand unreasonably close to Daken.

"I know that tone. What, Quentin?" Daken sighed, not even bothering to look up from the bowl.

"Is your name Japanese?" Quentin asked, tilting his head in the perfect way he always did when curious about something.

Daken paused before answering. "Yes."

"It's a nice name." Quentin shrugged, feeling the need the need to justify himself. "What's it mean?"

"Nothing." Daken answered too quickly.

"I don't actually know what Quintavius means..." Quentin cringed at the sound of his full name. "But _'Quinn'_ is Gaelic and carries connotations of intelligence, which is pretty fitting!" Quentin teased, sensing Daken's discomfort.

"My name is a play on my Canadian-Japanese dual heritage." Daken mumbled flatly. "It means 'mongrel'."

"Oh." Quentin frowned, looking down at his fingers that tapped against the counter.

"Yes, Quentin, it's nice to see you realizing that everything isn't cotton candy and rainbows with me." Daken rolled his eyes again, noting that this habit seemed to be becoming more prominent since he'd been spending time with Quentin.

"Why do you have to be such a dick about stuff?" Quentin huffed, leaning back on his elbows against the counter.

"Why do you have to be so oblivious?" Daken still didn't look up from the bowl, mixing it slowly and smoothly.

"I'm not oblivious. I just try to be optimistic." Quentin replied bluntly. "I mean, I kinda have to."

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?"  Daken set the bowl down and shot a glare to Quentin. "It's not like you have a terrible life, sweetheart."

"It's not like I'm gonna acquire a godly power one day and possibly attempt to kill my friends... _Oh, wait!_ That's _exactly_ what's gonna happen!" Quentin retorted.

"Sure. Poor Quentin Quire is set to be the next Phoenix. What a terrible fate!" Daken moaned sarcastically.

"Shut up, yeah? You have no idea what you're talking about." Quentin's grip on the counter behind him tightened. "Let's just not talk about it."

" _Fine_." The harshly spoken word was followed with a painful silence.

"I hope you know, after that, I'm not helping you with your dorayaki." Quentin mumbled, breaking the awkward silence. Both boys smirked reluctantly.

"Yes, you are, or you won't get any." Daken pulled out the spoon and tapped it to Quentin's nose. "Good pronunciation by the way."

" _Hey_!" Quentin protested, pushing the mixture from his nose.

"What?" Daken held up his hands in mock surrender. "I did nothing!"

"You know exactly what, idiot!" Quentin laughed, pushing his fingers into the mixture and swiping it across Daken's face, before licking his fingers clean. "Mmm. Delicious."

"That's extremely unhygienic, y'know." Daken tried to mask his smirk, but failed terribly, as he wiped the mixture from his face and onto Quentin's jeans.

"I thought it was obvious that I like things that are bad for me." Quentin teased, stepping closer and locking his hands behind Daken's neck.

"Very true, Mr Quire." Daken bit his lip to suppress laughter, before leaning down to kiss Quentin deeply.

"You're so hot." Quentin almost giggled, excited by his own luck.

"C'mon, cotton candy king." Daken smirked. "We have pancakes to make."

"Do you cook a lot?" Quentin asked sweetly, looking up at Daken.

"Sometimes." Daken shrugged. "If you’re asking if I'm five star restaurant standard - _no_. If you're asking if I'm better than you - _yes, without a doubt_."

"Ouch." Quentin laughed, jumping up to sit on the counter again.

"Seriously, kid. What did I say about your ass and my work tops?" Daken sighed dramatically.

"Comfy." Quentin repeated, chuckling.

"I hate you." Daken laughed, moving to stand between Quentin's legs, but making no effort to tug him from the countertop.

"Nahh. You think I'm adorable." Quentin teased, leaning down to push a gentle, chaste kiss to Daken's lips. Daken replied by hitting the mixture covered spoon lightly against Quentin's cheek. Laughing, Quentin pushed a hand into the mixture and smeared it down Daken's bare chest. Countering this, Daken shook the spoon above Quentin's head, dripping the gooey mess into the soft, pink hair.

"Okay, so now you're dead!" Quentin laughed, wrapping his legs around Daken's body, roughly tugging him closer. "No one screws with my hair."

"I do." Daken retorted with a smirk, trailing the spoon down Quentin's chest.

 "You also screw with my head." Quentin breathed, suddenly aware of their close proximity. "And that's not fair, because I'm the one who does the _'head screwing'_."

"Shut up." Daken whispered, leaning forwards to kiss the mixture from Quentin's chest.

"Daken..." Quentin moaned, dropping his head back and pushing his hands into Daken's hair.

"Yeah, I've suddenly lost my appetite for dorayaki." Daken smirked against Quentin's skin, wrapping his arms around Quentin's waist. "Let's go back to bed."

"Who says we need the bed?" Quentin purred, dipping his thumb into the bowl and tracing it across Daken's lower lip, before kissing the mixture away.

Daken laughed, biting gently at Quentin's lip. "Damn it, you're amazing!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The dorayarki thing is like my main Daken headcanon tbh. xD


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ha ha look a filler chapter but whatever
> 
> I KEEP WRITING CHAPTERS FOR THE END OF THIS STORY, BUT CAN'T SEEM TO WRITE THIS BIT AT ALL

"D..." Quentin yawned with a lazy smile, closing his eyes and leaning his head on Daken's bare chest.

"What?" Daken replied with an irritated sigh, but his satisfied smirk betrayed him slightly as he relaxed into the too-comfy mattress.

"I'm really glad we did this..." Quentin whispered, nuzzling Daken's chest a little.

"Yeah... I guess..." Daken replied quietly, taking a deep breath (which caused Quentin to frown strongly).

"What's wrong?" Quentin pushed up onto his hands, looking down into Daken's eyes, wishing he was able to read him.

"I'm fine, kid. Go to sleep, you've had an active morning." Daken mumbled and closed his eyes to shut out Quentin's gaze.

"No." Quentin pouted defiantly. "You only call me 'kid' when you're distancing yourself from me."

"Don't you dare psychoanalyze me, kid." Daken warned, opening his eyes only to narrow them at Quentin.

"You did it again." Quentin noted, raising his eyebrows.

"You have no idea what you're talking about, Quire." Daken replied, purposely annunciating the name to emphasize that he was not categorizable like Quentin assumed he was.

"You call me that when you're attempting to show how much more _'mature and experienced'_ you are than me." Quentin rolled his eyes and released a heavy huff.

"Bullshit!" Daken snapped, frowning harshly. "You have no idea about me."

"I've been sleeping with you for over four months. I spend my life reading people. Not only their minds, but their words, their body language. Everything. So, actually, yeah. I have _every_ idea about you, Daken Akihiro."

"Where did you hear that name?" Daken's expression contorted into one of confusion and suspicion.

"A telepath's memory is pretty amazing. And mine is especially in tune to anything about you." Quentin explained conspicuously.

"Whatever. Don't call me that again." Daken shrugged, quickly moving off the subject. "So, tell me, Dr Quire. If you think you can read me so well, what other tells have you noticed?"

"Well, when you're upset, you comb your fingers through your hair and flick your eyes to the right." Quentin noted with a small smile, stroking Daken's hair and watching his own movement to emphasize his point.

"No, I don't." Daken argued, laughing a little.

"You do." Quentin chuckled, before continuing. "And you only let me sleep on your left after sex if you really enjoyed it, because you know I like listening to your post-sex heart rate. That being said, you've only ever made me sleep on your right twice. Once, when I said the wrong name. And the other time when we got into that really big argument during..."

"I still can't believe you were actually thinking of someone else when I was screwing you." Daken raised his eyebrows, flicking his eyes upward in irritation. "I'm hardly a boring fuck."

"No," Quentin agreed. "You're amazing."

"And yet?" Daken prompted, irritation surfacing again.

" _And yet_ , I have a spectacular mind. And spectacular minds wander." Quentin shrugged with a sigh. "I also have a totally gorgeous best friend, who actually cares about me."

"Oh, so that's it?" Daken sat up under Quentin with a laugh of disbelief. "You want him because has feelings?"

"Why are we even talking about this?" Quentin pulled back with a deep frown. "How did we get to this?"

"Oh, don't even try to pretend that little _'he cares'_ thing wasn't a total dig at me!" Daken growled, dropping his head back against the headboard of the bed.

"It was just-"

"What? A joke?"

"No!"

"A lie?"

"Well... No... Bu-"

"But what?" Daken threw out his arms in an irritated gesture. "But you just wanna be loved like any other perfect princess out there? Well, I'm sorry, kid. But I'm not that guy. You knew that when you got into this."

"That's not what I want! I want _you_!" Quentin’s tone was almost a plea.

"Oh, so perfect, little Apocalypse and his _'feelings'_ mean nothing to you?" Daken's question sounded suspiciously like a dare. Quentin didn't reply for a moment.

"I- It's not-"

" _Perfect_." Daken cut in sarcastically. "Totally perfect."

"Fine!" Quentin snapped, flicking his head to clear his hair from his eyes. "I care about Evan. I like Evan. Hell! One day, I might even love him! There! Is that what you wanted?"

"Why?" Daken demanded quietly, before raising his voice a little when Quentin didn't respond. "Why _him_?"

"Why not?" Quentin retorted, shaking his head in disbelief. "He's... He's... Nice. He's a nice guy."

" _Nice_?" Daken started to laugh - out of nowhere, just fell into a fit of laughter.

"What?" Quentin widened his eyes, totally confused.

"You're settling!" Daken shook his head, laughing more. "You like him because he's 'nice'? No. He's _'safe'_."

"I'm not settling! Because I'm not with him!" Quentin argued.

"So, if you _were_ with him, you agree you'd be settling?" Daken smirked, perfectly amused, smug and - strangely - a little salacious.

"No! But that doesn't matter because I'm with you!" Quentin retorted, weirdly harshly. He took a few, calming breaths. "At least... I wanna be. I _really_ wanna be... But... You're... You're spectacular! And I'm..."

"You're..?" Daken prompted calmly, though his heart was racing a little at Quentin's confession.

"Not..." Quentin breathed, near-silently.

"Okay, _'Future Phoenix'_. What happened to your ego?" Daken teased, leaning forwards and drawing Quentin into his arms.

"You're way outta my league." Quentin sighed sadly. "You both are..."

"You're kidding, right?" Daken whispered, smirking a little. "I hate to say this, and if you tell anyone, I'll deny it, but you're pretty cool, Q. And, honestly, not just being bitchy, Evan really shouldn't stand a chance with someone as hot as you."

"You called him Evan." Quentin bit his lip to hide a small smile.

"Yes. That's his name." Daken frowned, pouting a little at how Quentin seemingly ignored his compliment.

"You've never called him Evan before. It's always 'Apocalypse boy' or whatever." Quentin noted, kissing Daken sweetly.

"Yeah, whatever." Daken shrugged, rolling his eyes.

"Daken..." Quentin started warily. "What happened with you two?"

Daken took a deep inhale - contemplating the best reply to this- and paused for a moment before exhaling. "Quentin, this isn't really- I don't think you want to know... Because before very recently, before you, before spending more time with Laura... I wasn't really... I did some things that..." He sighed, shaking his head. "What happened with Evan... I regret that, okay? But you really don't need to know. If you want to - if you have to - ask him. He won't make excuses for me; he'll just tell you what happened."

"Did you hurt him?" Quentin asked quietly. Daken didn't reply, instead choosing to raise his eyebrows in a _'what do you think'_ sort of gesture. "Oh."

"Listen, Q. If I could take that back, I probably would. I hate that it had to come back to you, but... Well, y'know. I can't do anything about it." Daken felt totally stupid admitting this crap. Admitting that he may, kind of, sorta, possibly care about Quentin, and things that affect him. "If it makes you feel better, I died shortly after."

"Somehow, that doesn't make me feel better." Quentin frowned, wrinkling his nose a little at the thought.

"Does he know you're with me?" Daken asked calmly now, choosing to phrase it that way specifically. _'With me'_. Together. _Properly_.

"No. No one does." Quentin murmured mindlessly, his mind still running over what Daken had said about his contact with Evan.

"You should tell him." Daken spoke up after a moment, causing Quentin to frown up at him.

"Why?" Quentin asked, obviously confused by the prospect. "He'd just get upset."

"Because... I dunno... He's like your _boyfriend_ or something." Daken sighed with a small smirk now.

"Best friend." Quentin corrected.

"What's the difference?" Daken teased ever so slightly in reply.

"Well, I'm not sleeping with him, first of all." Quentin retorted, pouting a little. This lead to Daken raising his eyebrows and laughing a little, resulting in Quentin protesting quickly. "Woah! That's not- I didn't mean- You're not my- _Ew_. No."

"If sex is your criteria for a romantic relationship, I'm a little concerned." Daken smirked, holding back more laughter.

"Oh, shut up. You know that's not what I meant." Quentin sighed, rolling his eyes. "My point is that I don't think I'm ready to tell Evan yet. That's all."

"Alright, pinkie pie. Make your own mistakes, I don't mind." Daken teased, kissing Quentin's cheek.

"Can we stop talking about Evan? I'm here with you for a reason." Quentin mumbled, sitting up straight and hugging his knees to his chest.

"You should go back to sleep, anyway." Daken smiled gently, playfully twisting his fingers in and out of Quentin's hair. "I have to leave for a meeting in about twenty minutes and I want you ready and waiting for me when I get back. That means not exhausted like you are now."

"It's like 5am! Who could you possibly be meeting this early?" Quentin moaned, leaning forwards on his hands and knees and blinking up at Daken expectantly.

"Important people." Daken promised, kissing Quentin sweetly. "Just... Y'know, go back to sleep and I'll be back in a few hours to wake you up properly."

"Okay." Quentin pouted sadly, watching Daken stand from the bed.

"I know; it's hard to watch me leave." Daken laughed, as Quentin snuggled back into the bed. "Good boy." He whispered, kissing Quentin's cheek. "Later, loser."


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is so self indulgent now, ngl.
> 
> I wrote this chapter SOOO long ago and have been debating putting it in cuz idek. But yeah. I HAVE THE END OF THIS FIC WRITTEN BUT NOT THE MIDDLE ARGH

Daken watched Quentin intently as the pink haired mutant slept. There was a hint of a smirk hiding in his peaceful, sleeping expression, which brought a smile to Daken's lips. He stroked the younger boy's hair softly, smiling at the way it fell into his face, causing him to moan and roll away in his deep sleep.

Everything about him sent Daken's head spinning and he couldn't understand why. This wasn't right. Daken Akihiro did not get feelings for anyone. Especially not irritating, teenage telepaths.

He sighed, standing from the bed and - pulling on his underwear from the night before - quickly made his way from the room and over to the floor to ceiling windows at the end of the living room. Placing his right hand on the glass, he looked out over the New York skyline as it shone in the sunrise. He took a deep breathe, looking back through the doorway at the boy in his bed, and then to the ground. His heart was beating abnormally fast as the claws between his fingers broke through the skin. He glanced at the exposed bone and the blood that dripped from his knuckles as his hand remained on the glass. He was a monster. He had no business with someone like Quentin - someone trusting and innocent, someone destined to grow up to be a great X-Man.

Daken knew he couldn't give Quentin what he needed. He could never be a boyfriend. He wasn't that guy. But part of him actually wanted that. And that scared him more than anything. But Quentin would never be safe in his arms. He couldn't protect him, no matter what he felt for him.

For a moment, Daken's stubborn mind slipped and something inside him begged to be normal. No mutation. No daddy issues. No monster. Just a normal guy. But no. He was Daken Akihiro - the Dark Wolverine. He was a disaster waiting to happen, and Quentin had walked straight into that disaster.

He retracted his claws slowly, wincing as the rough edges tore his skin. Closing his eyes, he took a deep, wavering breath. Confronted by his feelings, he bit his lip to suppress showing his emotions. He was a demon, incapable of feeling - that was what he had always been told. So, why did Quentin change everything?

Right now, the way Daken felt had messed with his mind so much, that he had very few coherent thoughts. But one of those thoughts told him to leave now, before he hurt Quentin, or worse - admitted to himself what he felt for him.

"Daken?" He was somehow startled by the voice, turning suddenly to see Quentin behind him, blinking up at him with wide eyes. "Why aren't you in bed?"

"No reason." He offered Quentin a gentle smile and pulled him in, kissing him. "Since when do you get up before midday?"

"Since I've been sleeping with you, apparently." Quentin teased, throwing his arms around Daken's neck. "How did you sleep?"

"Fine." Daken lied with an unconvincing smile. "You? Any bad dreams?"

"I'm a big boy now, D. I can handle a nightmare or two." Quentin smirked, yet his cheeks turned slightly pink in the knowledge that he had had another Phoenix-related nightmare last night that still haunted his mind now.

"I know." Daken smiled, pretending to not notice Quentin's blush, and pushed a kiss to his forehead. "City looks pretty great from up here, right?"

"Beautiful." Quentin sighed, though not taking his eyes from Daken's face. Suddenly, Daken's eyes narrowed a little, demonstrating the stress in his mind.

"I should go. You need to get back to the school, and I- I have things to do." Daken's harsh tone caused Quentin to frown.

"Daken, when the Phoenix finds me, will you still want me?" He asked sadly, choosing to ignore Daken's words.

"Why would you ask that?" Daken looked down into Quentin's eyes now.

"I'm scared." Quentin whispered.

"Quentin..." Daken breathed, taken aback by the confession.

"Sorry." Quentin blushed, turning away and taking a few steps back towards the bedroom. "You don't need to know that. I mean, me and you... It's not like we're-"

"I'll look after you, Quentin. I promise. Phoenix or no Phoenix, I won't let anything hurt you - including yourself." Daken caught Quentin's wrist and pulled him back.

"You're the only one who makes me feel in control." Quentin whispered, dropping his head to Daken's chest.

Daken's body immediately tensed. "I don't understand."

"I'm terrified of what's outside, Daken." Quentin confessed, closing his eyes. "But when I'm with you, it all disappears. And then I have to leave again and I- I'm so scared."

"You don't want the Phoenix?" Daken stroked Quentin's hair, trying to keep his mind from the confession.

"I do. I really do. But- I mean, everyone who comes in contact with the Phoenix loses so much. That's how it's always been. What if I can't keep control?"

"You won't lose me. I swear, I'll stick around." It was a lie, but he knew he hid it well. "Go back to bed, I'll be in in a minute."

"Thank you." Quentin kissed him lovingly, before heading back to the bedroom.

Daken closed his eyes, trying to silence wavering breaths. "I'm so sorry." He whispered, retrieving his pants and shirt from where they had been discarded around the room. He dressed quickly, before heading to the door. Placing his hand on the door knob, he risked a glance back at the bedroom door, sighing lightly, before he opened the door and left the suite silently.

"I'm sorry, Quentin." He breathed, pushing his hand to the wall. "I can't let myself hurt you anymore..."


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG AN UPDATE WHAT OMG
> 
> This was only edited super quickly, so is super bad. But y'know, Evan acting like he's in some sort of 2006 pop song/Taylor Swift song is fun...

Quentin wasn't really sure why it got to him so much. It was always expected - that he'd wake up and Daken would be off doing... Well, whatever it was Daken did. But since the night they'd admitted their fears and eaten undercooked Japanese pancakes in bed together, they'd not really left each other without an explanation beforehand. And waking up this morning, aching and lazy, Quentin had expected to be kissed into consciousness, like the past three mornings. But he hadn't been. Instead, he woke to an empty suite and no note.

He felt a little flat at the thought, but initially shrugged it off. It wasn't like they were dating - like Daken _had_ to explain his every action. And this thought had kept Quentin content for the first five hours, as he scoured the suite kitchen in his underwear and ordered the most expensive options on the room service menu, purely with the intention of pissing of his absent lover.

Six hours in, and Quentin settled on sending a brief text to Daken. Something flirty and casual, playing down his feelings. Something he assumed would coax the older mutant back to the hotel and into bed with him. He settled to return to bed alone after the first half hour of awaiting a reply.

And, after waking seven hours on, with the sun safely re-set and the stars inevitably rising beyond the light pollution, and still no sign of communication, the telepath resolved that waiting any longer was a foolish construct, and left in a flurry on denied negative emotions.

The irritatingly expensive cab ride back to the school was far too quiet for Quentin, allowing him to over think another example of his psychological dependence on others rearing its stupid, ugly head. _Once again_...

\-----

"Home so soon?" Evan asked quietly, standing in the open doorway to his room when Quentin passed it to head to his own. This somehow managed to startle the telepath, much to his annoyance.

"Okay, no need to be so fucking smug about it!" Quentin hissed, pointedly roughly adjusting the positioning of the bag on his shoulder with a huff. "Anyway. Lights out was an hour ago. Shouldn't you be in bed?"

"Shouldn't _you_? With _him_?" Evan countered with the closest thing to a satisfied smirk Quentin thought he could manage.

"Listen, Lips, I'm really not in the mood for any of this. So, if we're done here?" Quentin snapped back, turning quickly and starting toward his room, before Evan quickly caught his wrist.

"Wait." He blushed, looking to the ground. "I didn't mean to be nasty, I was just... _Y'know_..." His blush grew as he released a small sigh. "I'm sorry. Wanna talk?"

Quentin pouted and raised an eyebrow at Evan's blatant inability to be a dick, before letting out a heavy breath and a shrug. "Yeah, sure. Whatever."

"I promise not to say _'I told you so'_." Evan teased with his perfect, blushy smile, before stepping back to let Quentin into his room.

"Good plan. Because if hear those words from anyone right now, there will be a lot of pain involved. And not on my side." Quentin mumbled darkly, heading into Evan's room and dropping to sit on the bed. Evan tilted his head and watched his friend for the moment, before following him to the bed.

"So, what happened?" He asked quietly, watching his own hands which were easily settled in his lap.

"Nothing. It was fine. _Good_." Quentin murmured, flopping to lie down on Evan's bed weightily. "He was... Nice. _Fun_. Y'know..."

" _'Fine'_? C'mon, Q, I know you better than that..." Evan flicked his legs up under himself and cautiously rested a hand on Quentin's ankle in a type of reassuring gesture.

"He wasn't there when I woke up today." Quentin admitted suddenly, surprising Evan a little (he didn't think it would be that easy). It was as if the telepath really needed this - just to talk.

"Is that unusual?" Evan asked quietly, unsure of casual sex etiquette.

"Yes... I mean, _no_. Well, yeah, it's unusual for _recently_ , I think. He'd started... I dunno... Acting like he wanted to wake up with me, I guess?" Quentin threw an arm over his face to cover his eyes. "I assumed he just needed to go out, but he hadn't text me or anything. But I waited around... And he never came back. The whole day..."

"Oh, Q." Evan sighed, shaking his head sympathetically.

"Whatever... It-" Quentin cleared his throat to force the strength back into it. "It doesn't matter. It's late. I'm gonna go."

He stood quickly, shrugging his bag back onto his should and headed for the door. He was being dumb, he surmised, he should just go to bed...

"Y'know, I don't get it." Evan spoke up as Quentin opened the door to leave. The telepath could tell the other had forced himself to speak up. He stopped, looking back at Evan, waiting for an expansion on that. "Why are you with this guy?"

"Because..." Quentin answered immediately, but couldn't seem to get past the first word. Why _was_ he with Daken? Because he was in love with him? Because he was obsessed? Because he was addicted? None of it mattered - Daken would never reciprocate. So, Quentin settled for a simple, mumbled lie. "Because we have fun."

"Oh yeah?" Evan flicked his legs up under himself and looked up at Quentin expectantly. "Because this doesn't look fun for you."

"I'm fine." Quentin stated, the words shaking, before he sighed and dropped back onto the bed beside Evan. "He's just... _Exhausting_ sometimes... Like, I can never be good enough. I'm just this stupid kid..."

"You're so much more than that, Quinn." Evan promised. He didn't understand - _how couldn't Quentin see how spectacular he was? How couldn't he see he was worth more than this?_

"I can't talk about this with you." Quentin argued, not wanting to hurt Evan more than he already had.

"I just wish I could understand why you let him hurt you like this? Why do you stay with him?" Evan narrowed his eyes, shaking his head, ignoring Quentin's statement. "I would never do this to you, I swear."

"I know you wouldn't, Ev." Quentin agreed quietly, avoiding Evan's eyes. "But I don't want to hurt you."

"I don't care." Evan promised, kneeling up on the bed a little and taking Quentin's face in his hands. "This guy treats you terribly - like an object. You're so confident and strong and bad, but you still don't leave him, and I don't get it. I wish you would let me show you how you should be treated! Because you're so amazing and this idiot obviously doesn't see that! Don't you see that I could give everything you need from a relationship?"

"Except your own safety." Quentin whispered, pulling away. He sighed near silently as he turned his face away, closing his eyes.

"Quinn, we're supposed to protect each other, right?" Evan gave up on maintaining eye contact with the other mutant, and settled for stroking his hair mindlessly. "That's what... Y'know, best friends are supposed to do. I wanna protect you from this asshole who thinks he can just walk all over you when you're worth so much more. You're so important to so many people. You need to see that. Because if you don't, you’re just gonna keep falling for all these idiots that don't even deserve your attention! You're letting yourself be hurt by him, while you could be being loved by me!" Evan blushed a little at his own passionate words. "I- I mean, someone _like_ me. Not specifically _me_. I could be an example. But I'm not - like - implying I'm good enough for you or anything... I just-"

"Evan..." Quentin allowed himself to smile a little at the way Evan stumbled over his own words. Hesitantly turning back to him, Quentin placed a hand on Evan's cheek, tracing his thumb over the dark line that bisected it. Quentin Quire took this moment to establish in his mind that he was an idiot. An idiot for not being able to resist. An idiot for screwing both Evan and Daken over. An idiot for potentially putting Evan in danger. _He was most definitely an idiot._

"Yes?" Evan blinked up at him shyly through his eyelashes, his fringe falling over his eyes the smallest amount.

" _Fuck_ , you're perfect." Quentin moaned begrudgingly, before tipping Evan's chin up and kissing him gently.

He'd missed this. A kiss with telepathy. The slow, romantic passion between them stirred up so many emotions and thoughts for Evan, and Quentin loved being able to read them all - something Daken's telepathic resistance hadn't allowed. It also meant he could still easily project, which he loved, because even whilst kissing, he really wanted to keep talking.

 _'You're nervous.'_ He stated telepathically, carefully pushing his fingers into Evan's hair to deepen the kiss. _'Don't be.'_

"I can't help it..." Evan whispered against his lips. He was shaking ever so slightly. "You're kissing me like you want to... But you're so amazing and clever and _wow_. Quentin... You're unbelievable, and you're making out with me!"

"Hey!" Quentin smirked, pressing his fingertips to Evan's lips to silence him. "Shut up. Of course I want to. You're... Like, _awesome_ , Ev."

"You mean so much to me, Q." Evan promised, drawing back a little and blinking up at Evan. "Don't let yourself be used."

"I'm not. I'm here. _With you_." Quentin smiled a tiny, yet genuine and loving smile that carried a firm promise within it. "Not him."

"Am I selfish?" Evan asked suddenly, frowning deeply and staring at his interlocked hands in his lap. "Being selfish is really bad. Am I?"

"What?" Quentin laughed a little at this, stroking Evan's bangs from his face. "Where did that come from?"

"Well, I want you all to myself. Does that make me selfish?" Evan risked a glance up at Quentin, wrinkling his nose ever so slightly (and - Quentin noted - insanely adorably).

"No, Ev. It really doesn't." Quentin sighed, flopping back to lie across Evan's bed. "That's normal, I guess. I mean, I don't particularly wanna share you either."

"Promise?" Evan pushed sweetly, leaning back on his hands to watch Quentin closely.

"Swear." Quentin agreed, forcing a smile. "Having feelings doesn't make you a bad person, Evan. I'll never let you be a bad person."

Evan smiled brightly for a second before his blush returned. It didn't take long for Quentin to pick up on the other boy's thoughts and smirk proudly to himself.

 _'Yes, loser. We can make out again. Next time just ask - or, y'know, just do - like a normal person!_ ' He projected with faux exasperation, before sitting up to kiss Evan deeply.

 _'Please stay out of my head,'_ Evan thought back quietly as they kissed. 'It's embarrassing!'

 _'I'm embarrassing._ ' Quentin teased, pushing a hand into Evan's hair to mess it up, and guiding him to lie back on the bed. _'Y'know, making out with you has improved my day exponentially.'_

"Q!" Evan giggled, drawing back slightly to look up and Quentin, from where he lay. "You're so weird."

"Yeah, but you love it- _Fuck_!" Quentin's relaxed flirting was cut off when a painfully high frequency passed through his mind. He clutched at his temples, spouting streams of curse words and fell back onto the bed.

"Quentin!" Evan gasped, shaking the other boy's shoulders and attempting to make him look at him. "Quentin! What's happening?"

"Ev!" Quentin forced, through gritted teeth, grasping Evan's arm tightly with a free hand, whilst the other still clung to his own forehead. "Get out of here! _Now_!"

"Oh my god! What's wrong?! What's happening?" Evan begged, seeing Quentin in pain making him want to cry with panic and fear.

"Out!" Quentin ordered, the wince in his expression taking some harshness from the command. "Someone's trying to attack the school!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> zomg pointless cheesy cliffhanger whatever
> 
> sucks to be anyone who cares about what happens next, because i still have to start the next chapter (the four after that are finished and ready to post)
> 
> see you in another six months or whatever


End file.
